Posted Tuesday/June 26, 2001; 12:32 p.m. PDT

Station taking Initiative

On May Day 2001, WeTheFans.com posted an article called, "Place And Time To Draw The Line!," labeling Seattle as "Major League Baseball's HOT CITY!" Well last Friday, Sports Radio KJR 950 turned the temperature up in a BIG way! When the "All-Star Fan Protest" was INITIATED, we asked the question, "What better place for Fans to TAKE A STAND?" So our cap goes off to Sports Radio KJR for "rallying Fans" with it's "I-950 Campaign." I-950 is the exact kind of Internet "WTOish activity" we wrote about on May Day before Mariner CEO, Howard Lincoln put his All-Star/WTO spin on things. Initiative-950 could push the All-Star Fan Protest to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL! The question is, does KJR have the INITIATIVE to take it there?

This Website has preached the "Fans Union concept" on KJR since it launched during the NBA Lockout. So we are VERY EXCITED to see the RED HOT, RECORD-SETTING, HISTORY-MAKING, 2001 SEATTLE "SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPER" MARINERS have motivated Sports Radio KJR to launch the HISTORIC Initiative-950. I-950 calls for the "All-Star Performing Mariners" to represent the American League against the NL, on it's own turf! KJR is endeavoring to sign up 100,000 Mariner Fans and deliver those names to Major League Baseball as a "block of votes." I-950 is a HISTORIC, MAJOR STEP in Fan Advocacy...Union...Constituency...Posse...M.A.H.F.I.A. or whatever you want to call it! This Site has always contended, once established media "endorsed the concept" and took the INITIATIVE, ACTION would follow, with RESULTS close behind.

Citizens for Initiative-950

It would be POWERFUL if Sports Radio KJR is able to sign-up 100,000 Seattle Fans on I-950! If 100,000 Fans would get behind a "tongue-in-cheek, symbolic issue," wouldn't they get behind the real ones like a SALARY CAP? If KJR signs up 100,000 Fans, WeTheFans.com would invite/challenge it to take over the All-Star Fan Protest and force a REAL MOVEMENT for baseball Fans to vote on issues other than the starting line-ups! The plan for the All-Star Fan Protest was to enlist 10,000 Seattle Fans and via Sports Radio, create "freindly competition" with the other MLB cities to dupilcate that number. That's 300,000 baseball Fans. Sports Radio KJR upped the ante! They "saw our 10,000" and "raised it 90,000!" If Seattle could enlist 100,000, why couldn't the other 29 baseball towns? That's 3 MILLION and the POWER baseball Fans would need to get MLB's RESPECT when the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on Halloween!

"Loudini"

"The Godfather"

The "delegation from Seattle" could bring I-950 (the "Mariner Exception") to the table as an "amendment to the rules" that reads something like, "If a team EVER AGAIN is as good as the 2001 Seattle Mariners by the All-Star break, THAT TEAM will represent the entire league." Why not? That's only ONE issue which has come up on KJR this season. There could also be an "I-950a." "The "Pinella Point" would be, "The WINNINGEST managers before the All-Star break will manage the teams." What's LAST year got to do with it? God bless Joe Torre, but Lou Pinella is winning THIS year! What about "I-950b?" That would be "American League rules in National League parks and vice versa for inter-league play." When the Mariners play in Dodger Stadium, the Fans don't get the "true baseball pleasure" of seeing the BEST DESIGNATED HITTER in baseball! And speaking of the Dodgers, can't inter-league play have SOME KIND OF ROTATION? Dodger Blue is legendary, but can we see it every OTHER year instead? Sounds like "I-950c" doesn't it? Seattle aside, there's plenty of INITIATIVES in the other 29 MLB towns, right?

Can Sports Radio KJR 950 sign-up 100,000 Seattle Fans? We think so, but then what? Will the station turn its INITIATIVE into a SERIOUS MOVEMENT? Will Sports Radio of Seattle lead the other MLB cities into the "heat of battle" that will be the Collective Bargaining talks? There are two weeks until the All-Star Game at Safeco Field and Sports Radio KJR is pushing I-950 everyday. This is gonna be interesting. Stay tuned.

100K Fans