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A conversation with musicians Ben Gibbard and Dave Depper reflects a city’s collective emotional experience following the Seattle Mariners’ defeat in the 2024 playoffs, highlighting the complex relationship between sports, community, and shared identity.
Updated November 10, 2025, 5:19 PM PST
A City United in Disappointment
The Seattle Mariners’ playoff loss in October 2024 resonated deeply throughout the city, eliciting a collective sense of devastation. Musician Ben Gibbard, of Death Cab for Cutie, described the pervasive sadness, noting that despite recognizing the statistical inevitability of most teams losing, the emotional impact was profound. “It was just our time to go home sad,” he stated, acknowledging the shared experience of heartbreak.
This sentiment underscores a broader phenomenon: the power of sports to unite communities. While acknowledging the potential for taking sports “too seriously,” Gibbard also recognized the “beautiful” aspect of the collective investment and shared pain. The ability to commiserate with others over a shared disappointment fostered a sense of connection and solidarity within the city.
The Paradox of Sports Fandom
the conversation highlights a common paradox of sports fandom: the awareness that losses are statistically probable, coupled with the intense emotional investment in a team’s success. As Gibbard pointed out, 29 out of 30 Major League Baseball teams end their season in disappointment. Yet, this knowledge doesn’t diminish the sting of defeat, particularly when a team comes close to achieving its ultimate goal.
This emotional attachment isn’t necessarily irrational. Sports provide a narrative structure, a sense of belonging, and a shared identity that can be deeply meaningful to individuals and communities. The Mariners, in this instance, became a focal point for civic pride and collective hope.
The impact of the Mariners’ loss extended beyond individual fans, affecting even those with more peripheral connections to the sport. Dave Depper, also a musician, explained his investment stemmed from his bandmates’ passion for the team. “I love my bandmates and they’re very crucial to my bandmates.I felt very invested in that series as an inevitable result,” he said, illustrating how personal relationships can amplify emotional engagement with sports.
Depper’s reaction – “heartbroken for everybody” – demonstrates the empathetic connection fans often feel, not just for the team itself, but for the entire community of supporters. This highlights the social dimension of sports fandom, where shared experiences and emotional bonds are central.