Seattle SuperSonics – From The Middle Blog

The Seattle Storm are one of the most successful franchises in WNBA history. Founded in 2000, the Storm have won four WNBA championships, produced multiple league MVPs and Rookie of the Year winners, developed Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers, and become one of the most enduring women’s professional sports organizations in the Pacific Northwest. The franchise’s greatest eras have been built around legendary players such as Lauren Jackson, Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart. Its history also includes pioneering ownership, championship coaches and a remarkable ability to remain competitive through generations of players. The Storm’s four WNBA championships came in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020. The Birth of the Seattle Storm The WNBA awarded Seattle an expansion franchise in 1999, with the team beginning play in the 2000 season. The franchise became known as the Seattle Storm and originally operated in conjunction with the The Birth of the Seattle Storm’s Seattle SuperSonics. The Storm played their first season at Key Arena, the building that had been the home of the Super Sonics. Seattle immediately established itself as a legitimate WNBA franchise, but the team’s transformation into a championship organization began with the arrival of Lauren Jackson. The Owners of the Seattle Storm The Storm’s ownership history is particularly interesting because the franchise changed hands during the controversial departure of the Seattle Super Sonics. Howard Schultz and the Seattle Super Sonics ownership group When the Storm began play in 2000, the franchise was owned as part of the Seattle Super Sonics organization. Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz had purchased the Super Sonics and Storm in 2001, and the Storm remained under the Sonics ownership structure during the early part of its history. The Storm’s first years were therefore closely connected with the NBA franchise. Clay Bennett and Professional Basketball Club LLC In 2006, the Super Sonics and Storm were sold to a group headed by Oklahoma businessman Clay Bennett. That ownership group ultimately moved the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City following the 2007–08 season. The Storm’s situation was different. Rather than moving to Oklahoma City, the Storm were sold separately. Force 10 Hoops — 2008 On February 28, 2008, the Storm were purchased by Force 10 Hoops LLC for $10 million. The original Force 10 ownership group consisted of four Seattle women: Anne Levinson, Lisa Brummel, Dawn Trudeau and Ginny Gilder. The purchase was historically important because it kept the Storm in Seattle when the future of professional basketball in the city was uncertain. Anne Levinson subsequently left the ownership group, leaving Brummel, Trudeau and Gilder as the principal Force 10 owners. Sue Bird Joins the Ownership Group In 2024, Storm legend Sue Bird joined the ownership group. Bird’s addition was especially significant because she had spent her entire WNBA playing career with Seattle, from 2002 through 2022. She had already become one of the defining figures in franchise history as a player before becoming an owner. Bobby Wagner Joins the Ownership Group. In 2026, Seattle Seahawks legend Bobby Wagner joined the Storm ownership group. His addition expanded the ownership group with another prominent Seattle sports figure. The Storm described the organization as having four WNBA championships and 19 playoff appearances through 25 seasons when announcing Wagner’s addition. The current ownership structure is centered on Force 10 Hoops, with Lisa Brummel, Dawn Trudeau and Ginny Gilder among the principal owners, along with newer ownership partners including Sue Bird and Bobby Wagner. Every Arena the Seattle Storm Have Called Home The Storm have had a more complicated home-arena history than many WNBA teams because of the rebuilding of their longtime Seattle Center home. Key Arena — 2000–2018 Key Arena was the Storm’s original and longest-running home. The Storm played there from their inaugural 2000 season through 2018. It became one of the great home courts in WNBA history. Seattle went 209–110 at Key Arena, a .655 winning percentage, and had 15 winning seasons at the building between 2000 and 2018. Key Arena witnessed two Storm championships: 2004 2010 It also witnessed the team’s 2018 championship run. The final Storm game at the old Key Arena was Game 2 of the 2018 WNBA Finals, a 75–73 Seattle victory over the Washington Mystics. Seattle then won Game 3 in Washington to capture its third championship. Alaska Airlines Arena — 2020 scheduled home When the original Key Arena was being redeveloped, Seattle planned to use the University of Washington’s Alaska Airlines Arena for the first portion of its 2020 home schedule. The Storm’s announced 2020 schedule called for 10 home games at Alaska Airlines Arena. However, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the 2020 WNBA season. The league ultimately played its season in The IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, so Alaska Airlines Arena did not function as a normal Storm home venue during an actual 2020 regular season University of Washington’s Alaska Airlines Arena — Everett The Storm also planned to play home games at Angel Of The Winds Arena in Everett during the arena-construction period. The 2020 schedule called for Seattle to move there after the Olympic break. Again, the pandemic prevented that planned home schedule from occurring. Florida — 2020 WNBA Bubble The 2020 season deserves special mention. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire WNBA season was played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Consequently, the Storm technically had no conventional Seattle home games in 2020. Seattle won the WNBA championship in the Florida bubble. In 2021, however, Angel Of The Winds Arena actually became a Storm home venue. The team opened the 2021 season there while COVID-19 restrictions limited attendance. The Storm welcomed the Las Vegas Aces to Everett for the home opener on May 15, 2021. Angel Of The Winds Arena — 2022–Present The newly redeveloped Climate Pledge Arena opened at Seattle Center in October 2021. The Storm returned to downtown Seattle… Continue reading Seattle Storm: Complete History,

The Seattle Mariners entered Major League Baseball in 1977 as an American League expansion franchise. From their early struggles in the Kingdome to the glory years of Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson and Ichiro Suzuki, the Mariners have produced some of baseball’s most memorable players and moments. Seattle has never won a World Series, and it has never appeared in the World Series. Yet the Mariners have won division championships, produced MVPs, Rookie of the Year winners, Cy Young Award winners and numerous Hall of Famers. The franchise has also become famous for another reason: some of the great players it traded away before they reached their full potential. The Beginning of the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball awarded Seattle an expansion franchise on February 6, 1976, with the team scheduled to begin play in 1977. The ownership group included entertainer Danny Kaye and Seattle-area businessmen Stanley Golub, Walter Schoenfeld, Lester Smith, James Stillwell Jr. and James A. Walsh. The team held a contest to select its name. More than 15,000 entries were submitted, and the name Mariners was selected because of Seattle’s connection to the sea and Puget Sound. The Mariners played their first regular-season game on April 6, 1977, against the California Angels at the Kingdome. Seattle lost 7-0. The first Mariners victory came two games later, when Seattle defeated the Angels 7-6. The inaugural Mariners team finished 64-98. Mariners Ownership History The Mariners have had five major ownership eras. 1. Original Ownership Group — 1976-1981 The original ownership group consisted of: Stanley Golub, Danny Kaye, Walter Schoenfeld, Lester Smith, James Stillwell Jr, James A. Walsh Danny Kaye, the famous actor and entertainer, became the best-known member of the original ownership group. 2. George Argyros — 1981-1989 Real-estate developer George Argyros became the principal owner in January 1981 after purchasing a majority interest in the franchise. His ownership came during one of the more difficult periods in Mariners history. 3. Jeff Smulyan and Partners — 1989-1992 In 1989, the Mariners were purchased by a partnership involving: Jeff Smulyan, Emmis Broadcasting, Michael Browning, Morgan Stanley Group Smulyan became chairman. 4. Nintendo of America / Baseball Club of Seattle — 1992-2016 The Baseball Club of Seattle took control of the Mariners in 1992. The ownership group was closely associated with Nintendo and Hiroshi Yamauchi. Howard Lincoln became one of the most recognizable executives of the Nintendo era. This period included the greatest stretch of Mariners baseball to that point, featuring Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Ichiro Suzuki and Félix Hernández. 5. First Avenue Entertainment / Baseball Club of Seattle — 2016-Present In 2016, Nintendo sold the majority of its interest to the current ownership group, First Avenue Entertainment LLLP, while retaining a 10-percent interest. John Stanton became chairman, CEO and MLB control person. John Stanton remains the principal public face of Mariners ownership. MARINERS HOME PARKS Kingdome — 1977-1999 The Kingdome was the Mariners’ original home. Seattle played its first game there on April 6, 1977, and remained in the stadium until June 27, 1999. The Kingdome was an enormous concrete domed stadium and also hosted the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle SuperSonics and other sporting events. The final Mariners game at the Kingdome was played June 27, 1999, when Seattle defeated Texas 5-2. The Kingdome was demolished in 2000. The Kingdome’s Greatest Mariners Moment The 1995 season transformed the franchise. The Mariners won their first American League West championship and then defeated the New York Yankees in one of the most famous playoff series in baseball history. Edgar Martinez’s double in Game 5 of the Division Series scored Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr., giving Seattle a dramatic 11-inning victory and sending the Mariners to their first American League Championship Series. That season helped convince Seattle that Major League Baseball belonged in the city and played a major role in building support for a new ballpark. T-Mobile Park — 1999-Present The Mariners moved into their new ballpark in July 1999. The stadium opened as Safeco Field and retained that name until 2018. Beginning in 2019, it became T-Mobile Park. The first game was played July 15, 1999, against the San Diego Padres. T-Mobile Park features a retractable roof that protects fans and players from Seattle’s weather while still allowing the stadium to function as an open-air ballpark. The stadium has hosted: Mariners games The 2001 MLB All-Star Game Numerous playoff games Félix Hernández’s perfect game Multiple no-hitters Some of the greatest moments of the Ichiro era Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame and Baseball Hall of Fame Players Several players who wore a Mariners uniform have eventually been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Gaylord Perry — Hall of Fame Class of 1991 Hometown: Williamston, North Carolina Position: Pitcher Mariners: 1982-1983 Perry joined Seattle late in his career while chasing 300 victories. He achieved the milestone with the Mariners in 1982. Perry finished his career with 314 victories and two Cy Young Awards. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991. Interestingly, Perry also pitched for the New York Yankees during his career. Rickey Henderson — Hall of Fame Class of 2009 Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Position: Outfielder Mariners: 2000 Rickey Henderson was already one of baseball’s greatest players when he briefly played for Seattle. He finished his career with: 3,055 hits 2,295 runs 1,406 stolen bases 297 home runs He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009. Henderson also played for the New York Yankees and won a World Series with Oakland and Toronto. Randy Johnson — Hall of Fame Class of 2015 Hometown: Walnut Creek, California Position: Pitcher Mariners: 1989-1998 Randy Johnson arrived… Continue reading Seattle Mariners Complete History: From 1977 to Today