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Seattle Mariners

Safeco Field changes for 2018 Mariners season include No-Li Brewhouse offering

On Deck Donuts come with a selection of dipping sauces and toppings. (John Nelson / The Spokesman-Review)
On Deck Donuts come with a selection of dipping sauces and toppings. (John Nelson / The Spokesman-Review)
By John Nelson For The Spokesman-Review

SEATTLE – Inland Northwest baseball fans will run into an old friend at Safeco Field this season.

No-Li Brewhouse’s Big Juicy IPA will be served at three locations during Seattle Mariners games this year. The Spokane beer will be offered in The ’Pen, on the 100 level and on the 300 level, said Mike Lay, western sales rep for the company.

That’s just one of many new additions at Safeco Field this year.

Protective netting is being added to seating behind the dugouts on the first- and third-base sides, extending 14 feet above field level, said Rebecca Hale, Mariners director of public information, during a media preview Wednesday to publicize new food and beverages at Safeco Field.

The netting is in response to serious injuries a young girl sustained after being hit by a foul ball at Yankee Stadium last September.

Another major change for fans: Once you leave the ballpark after entering, you may not return using the same ticket. In the past, the Mariners allowed fans to scan out and re-enter.

“The goal is to try to speed up the entry process,” Hale said.

The biggest complaint from fans last year was how long it took to get into the stadium during high-attendance games, Hale said. Previously, during promotional giveaways – such as bobbleheads – fans would scan out, take their items to the car, and then scan back in. The act of entering and exiting as other fans were arriving created longer lines, Hale said.

The Mariners expect some fans to be upset by the change, but Hale points out that “we were one of only six teams allowing fans to come and go, so this puts us in line with the rest of the league.”

Because fans can no longer leave the stadium during games, Safeco will now have designated smoking areas behind center field and right field, Hale said, another change this season.

As far as food and drink goes, several changes are in the works. Among them:

  • Jack’s BBQ, a Seattle favorite, is coming to the ’Pen area at Safeco, with several savory offerings including a brisket sandwich.
  • On Deck Donuts, sure to be a crowd pleaser, is coming to the Hall of Fame area behind Section 136. The donuts come with a selection of dipping sauces and toppings – from sugar sprinkles to sweet bacon bits.
  • Din Tai Fung, another Seattle favorite, is new with wonton soup, spicy wonton dumplings and bao buns at Section 132.
  • Chateau Ste. Michelle is now the house wine of Safeco Field, with keg pours of its 14 Hands label.

The 2018 season marks the final year of Safeco Field. Naming rights for the stadium are being negotiated, and several local companies are interested, Hale said.

Amazon Field? Starbucks Field? Hale wasn’t saying.

“We’re talking to a lot of potential partners,” she said. “We’d like to have it wrapped up and announced before the end of the season.”

John Nelson is a freelance writer based in Seattle. Read his blog at ourgrandtour.net.