The Seattle Mariners are preparing to give one of the most recognizable voices in franchise history a memorable sendoff.
Longtime Mariners play-by-play broadcaster Rick Rizzs will be honored throughout the team’s final regular-season series against the Los Angeles Angels from September 25 through September 27. The three-game series at T-Mobile Park will serve as a celebration of Rizzs’ remarkable broadcasting career and his decades of connection with Mariners fans.
Rizzs revealed in July that the 2026 season would be his final year behind the microphone for Seattle. After more than four decades calling Mariners games, the veteran broadcaster is preparing to step away from a role that has made his voice synonymous with baseball in the Pacific Northwest.
However, his departure will not happen quietly. The Mariners have planned an entire weekend dedicated to recognizing his contributions to the organization and its fans.
The celebration comes shortly after the Mariners delivered another major honor to Rizzs. During the club’s 50th anniversary celebrations earlier in August, the team surprised the longtime broadcaster with the announcement that he would become the 12th member of the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.
That recognition adds another significant chapter to an already extraordinary career.
Rizzs is currently in his 41st season as a broadcaster with the Mariners. Across his professional baseball career, he has spent 52 seasons working in the sport. His longevity with Seattle makes him the longest-tenured broadcaster in franchise history, giving him a unique place in the organization’s story.
For generations of Mariners supporters, Rizzs has been more than simply the person describing what happens on the field. His voice has accompanied fans through memorable wins, difficult losses, playoff races, dramatic home runs and countless ordinary nights at the ballpark.
That long connection is one reason the Mariners are planning multiple events rather than limiting the tribute to a single ceremony.
The farewell weekend will begin Friday, September 25, when the Mariners host the Angels. Following the game, fans will be treated to a fireworks show dedicated to honoring Rizzs. It will provide a fitting opening to a weekend designed to celebrate his impact on Seattle baseball.
The celebration will continue Saturday, September 26. Before that game, Rizzs will take part in one of baseball’s most familiar traditions when he throws out the ceremonial first pitch.
Then, on Sunday, September 27, the Mariners will hold the centerpiece of the weekend: Rick Rizzs Celebration Day.
Sunday’s festivities will include a special placard giveaway for fans attending the game. The organization is also offering an online ticket promotion that includes a commemorative T-shirt. Throughout the game, the Mariners will recognize Rizzs and highlight different aspects of his lengthy career.
The organization has also created an opportunity for fans who want to personally express their appreciation.
Mariners supporters can leave messages for Rizzs through a dedicated voicemail line by calling (206) 346-4299. The initiative gives fans another way to share their favorite memories, thank him for his years of work and let him know what his presence has meant to them.
For a broadcaster who has spent so much time connecting with fans through radio and television, hearing directly from those supporters could become one of the most meaningful parts of the farewell.
Rizzs’ career has spanned several generations of Mariners baseball. His 41 seasons with the organization have allowed him to witness the evolution of the franchise, from different eras of players and managers to major changes in the sport itself.
He has also been part of some of the most memorable periods in Mariners history. Through all those changes, his voice remained a familiar constant for fans following the team.
That consistency has helped make Rizzs one of the most recognizable figures associated with the Mariners.
His upcoming retirement does not mean his connection with the organization will disappear completely. The Mariners have already confirmed that Rizzs will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame next season. The ceremony is expected to take place at T-Mobile Park, giving the organization another opportunity to officially celebrate his contribution.
Being selected as the 12th member of the Mariners Hall of Fame is a significant recognition. It places Rizzs alongside other important figures who have played major roles in the history of the franchise.
For Mariners fans, the September farewell weekend could therefore carry an emotional significance beyond the conclusion of another regular season. It represents the end of an era for a broadcaster whose voice has been part of the Seattle baseball experience for more than 40 years.
The timing also makes the celebration particularly appropriate. With the Angels visiting Seattle for the final regular-season series, fans will have three consecutive opportunities to participate in the tribute.
Friday’s fireworks, Saturday’s ceremonial first pitch and Sunday’s dedicated celebration give supporters different ways to mark the occasion.
The Mariners are encouraging fans to attend all three games as they prepare to recognize Rizzs throughout the weekend. Tickets for the series are available through the team’s official ticket platform.
While Rizzs is preparing to conclude his regular-season broadcasting career with Seattle, his legacy with the organization is already secure. His eventual Hall of Fame induction will ensure that his name remains permanently connected to the franchise.
Few broadcasters achieve the kind of longevity Rizzs has enjoyed. Spending 41 seasons with one Major League Baseball organization is an extraordinary accomplishment, particularly in an industry where broadcasters frequently move between teams and markets.
Rizzs’ 52 seasons working in professional baseball make the achievement even more remarkable.
For many fans, his voice may immediately bring back memories of listening to Mariners games over the years. Whether describing a dramatic moment, calling a big hit or guiding listeners through a tense inning, Rizzs became part of the soundtrack of Seattle baseball.
Now, the Mariners are preparing to give him a farewell worthy of that legacy.
The September 25-27 series against the Angels will provide an opportunity for the organization and its fans to celebrate not only the broadcaster but also the history he represents.
As the Mariners continue through the 2026 campaign, attention will eventually turn toward what comes next in the broadcast booth. But before that transition happens, Seattle will pause to recognize the man whose voice has been part of the franchise for more than four decades.
For Mariners supporters, the final series of the regular season is set to become much more than another three-game matchup. It will be a celebration of Rick Rizzs, his remarkable career and the lasting relationship he has built with generations of Seattle baseball fans.
After 41 seasons with the Mariners, his final regular-season broadcast chapter will be accompanied by fireworks, a ceremonial first pitch, special giveaways, fan messages and a dedicated celebration day.
And while the microphone may eventually be passed to someone else, Rizzs’ place in Mariners history is already assured. His upcoming Hall of Fame induction will serve as a lasting reminder of the impact he made on the franchise and the fans who listened to him year after year.
