When the Seattle Mariners emerge onto Safeco Field, fans are watching from living rooms in Alaska, kitchens in the hills of western Montana, and bars in downtown Seattle.

Fox Sports Net Northwest reaches more than 3 million cable and satellite TV subscribers in five states. Carrying the Mariners, the SuperSonics and a long list of collegiate and high school games, it consistently scores top ratings compared with the nation's other regional sports networks.

Keeping the network at that level is job one for Mark Shuken, senior vice president and general manager of FSN Northwest, even as the business weathers an ownership change, the loss of NBA basketball telecasts and a new regional rival.

FSN Northwest began life in the late 1980s as Prime Sports Northwest, part of a network of regional sports channels created by Liberty Media. In 1996, Liberty merged with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., parent of Fox, and the outfit was renamed Fox Sports Net Northwest. But many in Northwest sports and TV circles credit Shuken with helping FSN Northwest thrive in the past six years.

In that time, the Bellevue-based cable network acquired exclusive TV rights to the NBA's SuperSonics and Portland Trailblazers; launched "FSN Live," a nightly wrap of Northwest sports; and solidified partnerships with the Mariners, the Seahawks and a host of collegiate teams. It has also enjoyed a high ratings rank among Fox Sports Net's 20 regional networks.

Tim Griggs, who manages FSN Rocky Mountain in Denver, praises Shuken for skillfully sustaining relationships with the teams his network carries.

"I think Mark's done a terrific job solidifying FSN Northwest. I think he's regarded as one of the savviest GMs in this business," Griggs says.

Because the region's teams bring the big ratings and advertisers, Shuken treats them with respect. He makes it clear he's an "unabashed homer" - an outlet that openly roots for the teams it broadcasts.

"We have a commitment to represent our teams in the way they wish and the fans wish," he says.

And when something unfortunate occurs, whether it's basketball players fighting with referees or the arrest of a Mariners pitcher, FSN Northwest is a partner in pickle. Obviously, the network can't ignore such events, but it can offer teams the chance to pitch their points of view on FSN Northwest.

In addition to actively nurturing partnerships with the Northwest's sports franchises, Shuken has stressed live and local programming as much as possible, especially in prime-time hours.

"Theoretically, the perfect regional sports network has a live event every night," he says, adding that FSN Northwest broadcasts about 300 real-time games a year.

An Ideal Partner

That includes scores of Mariners games, which are crucial to the network's success. Bob Aylward, the Mariners' executive vice president of business operations, says it's a two-way street. A major league team needs a thriving TV partner to retain and expand its fan base.

"We have to make sure we have the best partner to help keep us emotionally connected to our fans," Aylward says. "The quality and energy that FSN brings to the game and the Mariners in general helps us."

That partnership is a big part of why the Mariners haven't strayed since the team decided in the early 1990s to show the bulk of its games on the network. In the years before that, a series of local Seattle stations served as the team's TV flagship.

Shuken calls the Mariners a "tent pole" supporting FSN Northwest, adding that their games are a staple during the long summer weeks, when most other professional and college sports are dormant. "In my view, for any regional sports network to be viable, you need Major League Baseball," he says.