Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. joins Sounders FC ownership group
Ken Griffey Jr. #24 of the Seattle Mariners. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE - Seattle Sounders FC on Tuesday announced that Seattle Mariners legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. and his family are joining the club's ownership group.
“This is a meaningful day for our entire family,” said Ken Griffey Jr. “My wife Melissa and I said that we wanted to be a part of something special, not only for ourselves, but for our kids to be proud of, and this is it. We know how much this club means to Sounders fans, and for us, this comes back to the city where it all started for our family. We are joining a first-class organization, and we are so proud to give back to the city we love. To the Seattle Sounders community: we are inspired to become part of what you have created. Like you, we are excited to get behind our incredible team as the players prepare for this year’s playoff run.”
Griffey earned ten consecutive Gold Glove awards in the 1990s. In his career with the Mariners, he had 1,752 hits, 298 home runs, 1,152 RBI and 167 stolen bases.
Griffey played for the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox before returning to Seattle to finish his career and retire in 2010.
“Ken Griffey Jr. is a name that requires no introduction, whether in Seattle or across the sports world, and we couldn’t be more proud to welcome Ken and his family into our club,” said Sounders FC Majority Owner Adrian Hanauer. “As a lifelong resident of this great city, bringing someone like Ken into Sounders FC holds a special significance to me, as he is truly a part of Seattle sports’ heart and soul. We value the contributions that he will add as a partner in our club and welcome him and his family with open arms.”
Just last month, the Sounders announced that Tod and Tar Leiweke joined the ownership group. And last summer, the club announced that eleven more families were also joining the ownership group, including Russell Wilson and Ciara, Macklemore, and others.