Mariners 10-year attendance drop worst in all major sports

Attendance at Seattle Mariners games has seen the worst 10-year drop in all North American major sports, according to King 5 News. Average attendance has dropped 51.4 percent since 2002. Safeco Field was at just 44.4 percent capacity in 2012, lowest among all major league stadiums. Mariners season ticket sales have also dropped 61 percent in the last ten years.

The drop in attendance corresponds to similar drop in relevance for the club over that time. The Mariners were coming off a record 116-win season in 2001, and finished with 93 wins in 2002. Since then, the team has been unable to make the playoffs and frequently places last in the AL West and well below .500.

No other North American team came close to Seattle's drop. The Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros were the next biggest falls at 38.7 and 36.1 percent. Seven of the top largest declines, including the top four, were MLB teams.