Seattle Mariners Search For Their Own 12th Man

It is often said that the home support at any sporting event can help tip the balance for the home team, giving them an advantage over their opponents. This phenomenon is widely known as the “12th man” effect—equating the crowd to having an extra player on the field.

In Seattle, supporters of the Seahawks in the NFL have famously taken this effect and made it their calling card—but can the MLB’s Mariners draw from the same well?

Everyone loves a winner. The Seattle Seahawks are a prime example of that. Their resurgence over the last few years has ensured a packed CenturyLink Field. Collectively known as the 12th Man, Seahawks supporters are said to be the loudest sports fans in the world.

So intimidating is the wall of noise that tumbles down onto the field that back in 1985 they played a part in the NFL having to introduce a noise rule:

When, in the judgment of the Referee, the level of crowd noise prevents the offense from hearing its signals, he can institute a series of procedures which can result in a loss of team time outs or a five-yard penalty against the defensive team.

When the Seahawks played host to the New Orleans Saints in 2013, the noise level of their fans was measured at an incredible 137.6 —at that time a Guinness World record for an outdoor stadium (Kansas City Chiefs have since stolen the mantle).

But how does this relate to the Mariners?

Mariners reporter Shannon Drayer told mynorthwest.com that attendances at Safeco Field had slipped, in tandem with the poor performances on the field.

Now, though, it appears that the Seattle Mariners are on the up. With an improved strategy for acquiring and holding onto players, and finally boasting an increased payroll to help implement that strategy, they enter spring training with a renewed sense of optimism and purpose. All that appears to be missing is a full baseball ground—will the fans now come flocking back?

Seattle is a hotbed for many sports franchises, all vying for fans hearts and minds. There are those sports fans who follow any team across the range and others who stick to one sport.

Drayer thinks that we might see more of a crossover in the coming years, if the Mariners can continue their upwards trajectory. You can find here Seattle Mariners tickets.

“I think there is a crossover that started last year and I think that it’s a general kind of spirit for the city,” she said. “We want the Mariners to be good like the Seahawks. The Super Bowl was fun. Let’s do a World Series, too.”

Sounds fun, indeed!