Mariners Get More Potentially Awful Financial News as Another Critical Offseason Nears
The Seattle Mariners got some potentially awful news this week which could have a big impact on the team's financial situation when moving into another critical offseason.
According to Sean Highkin of the "Rose Garden Report," the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA are leaving the Mariners-owned ROOT Sports ahead of this upcoming NBA season and going to their own over-the-air model.
With one year remaining on their deal, the Blazers are parting ways with ROOT Sports, effective immediately.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) August 14, 2024
Sources with knowledge of their plans say they will move to an over-the-air partner to be announced.
Story with more details on what it means: https://t.co/2AgGNQqRRN pic.twitter.com/F62RM6r2u3
From a portion of the article:
"Trail Blazers basketball will no longer air on ROOT Sports, but we thank ROOT Sports for years of great partnership,” the team said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon. “An exciting announcement on the future television home of Blazers basketball will be made soon."
According to sources with knowledge of the team’s plans, they will be moving games to an over-the-air partner to be determined.
How does this affect the Mariners?
Potentially greatly. The Seattle Kraken of the NHL already announced that they were leaving ROOT Sports as well. Considering that the Mariners own ROOT sports and these teams pay to be a part of ROOT Sports, this means that the Mariners are no longer bringing in revenue from those partnerships. We don't know the financial arrangements between the Blazers/Mariners/ROOT, but you can be assured that the M's are now bringing in less money.
Less money brought in means less money to spend.
The Mariners are not hurting for finances, but they tell us they are, and they will likely continue to say that with both the Blazers and Kraken leaving the network.
As of this moment in time, the Mariners have the 16th-highest payroll in baseball this season. Most fans want to see that increase and for the M's to bring in better players, but it seems even less likely now.
It's not just free agents
Look, we'd all like the Mariners to sign Juan Soto, but they were never going to pay him. So how about their own guys? This team needs to lock up Cal Raleigh, Logan Gilbert and George Kirby soon, and this financial situation could continue to harm their ability to do that and force the team to eventually just let them walk in free agency or potentially trade them as they get more expensive through arbitration.
Who else does this affect?
Sadly, likely, the employees of ROOT who will now have less to do. It's very likely that positions are cut and people are out of work.
A bad situation all around.
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