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Two of Seattle Kraken ownership’s primary objectives collided Monday night. Like any collision, assessing the damage may take some time.
The driver was rapper and Kraken minority owner Macklemore, who at a pro-Palestinian concert in Seattle uttered the phrase, “F**k America.”
The Kraken have consistently put their organizational and financial muscle behind inclusivity. These include diverse hiring practices, support of marginalized communities, theme nights (called “Common Threads” this season), and grants to worthy organizations through its One Roof Foundation.
Macklemore’s words crashed headlong into the franchise’s other main purpose, selling tickets to its fanbase and drawing viewers to their new Kraken Hockey Network. Entering their fourth season, games at Climate Pledge Arena are no longer automatic sellouts; coming off a non-playoff season, the NHL team is trying to re-establish its foothold on the Seattle sports landscape.
Macklemore (real name Benjamin Hammond Haggerty) has ties to other Seattle sports franchises as “an investor in the Seattle Sounders FC. One of his songs is often played during the 7th inning stretch during M’s home games,” reports komonews.com.
A Grammy-winning rapper, Macklemore rode the Zamboni at a Kraken home game last February. Video he shot of fans during his ride subsequently appeared in the music video for his song “No Bad Days.”
One doesn’t have to be a marketing genius to know that “F**k America” out of the mouth of a prominent franchise personality is bad for business.
Kraken and Sounders ownership issued this joint statement:
“We believe that sports bring people together and unite us. We are aware of Macklemore’s increasingly divisive comments, and they do not reflect the values of our respective ownership groups, leagues, or organizations. We are currently evaluating our collective options on this matter.”
When Macklemore and Seahawks great Marshawn Lynch joined as investors in April 2022, ESPN quoted Kraken CEO Todd Leiweke. “For us, we didn’t need additional investors,” Leiweke said, “but the thing that attracted us to these guys was their interest in community activism through this organization, and that’s a big deal.”
“I’m a big hockey fan and have watched the team come to life and the fan base grow over the last four years,” Macklemore said in a statement at the time. “This investment was a natural one.”