Mariners have a plan for fans to attend opening day but await approval from King County and state
SEATTLE – Three weeks before opening day of the 2021 Major League Baseball season, the Mariners can already celebrate one small victory.
The team’s proposal to bring fans back into T-Mobile Park has won approval from Gov. Jay Inslee, who on Thursday announced the plan as part of a new phase in the state’s COVID-19 reopening measures.
The Mariners will be allowed to host up to 9,000 fans at T-Mobile Park for the start of the season, which begins April 1 against the San Francisco Giants.
Fans will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing.
Fans will also be allowed back into games for the Seattle Sounders FC and OL Reign.
High school and youth sports will be allowed to have more spectators, too.
Mariners chairman John Stanton said Wednesday he has been working closely with local agencies over the past few months on safety protocols for reopening the ballpark.
“The health and safety of our fans, players and employees is our No. 1 consideration,” Stanton said in a statement Thursday.
“With the guidance of experts and best practices for health and safety, we are thrilled to be able to welcome fans back to T-Mobile Park for the first time since 2019. I want to thank Governor Inslee, King County Executive Constantine and Mayor Durkan for their leadership and Public Health Seattle and King County Director Patty Hayes and her department for their guidance through this process as we have worked to create a safe experience at T-Mobile Park for fans, our players and employees.”
Mariners manager Scott Servais, in a virtual news conference before Inslee’s announcement Thursday, was hopeful that the state would approve the team’s plan. The Mariners, like most MLB teams, played their pandemic-shortened 2020 season last summer in front of empty stands at their home park.
“It would mean a lot to our players, to myself. We desperately missed it last year,” Servais said. “I know many teams already have come out publicly and said that they are going to open up at 25 (or) 50 percent — even some have said 100 percent, which is a little bit alarming.
“I really am hopeful that we do the right thing in Seattle, let some of our fans back in the ballpark. It does mean the world to us.”
The Mariners announced that season-ticket holders will have priority access to tickets. For now, the team is selling tickets for only the first 11 games of the season.
The team will offer a presale starting March 24 to those who subscribe to the “Mariners Mail” newsletter (mariners.com/mail).
Remaining tickets for single-game buyers will be available at 10 a.m. on March 25.
The Mariners also announced several enhanced health and safety measures, including the following:
• Masks: All spectators (2 and older) will be required to wear masks covering their nose and mouth. Masks are required at all times except when actively eating or drinking.
• Digital tickets: To reduce contact between spectators and staff, all tickets will be digital.
• Security screening: In an effort to speed up entry into the park, no outside food or drinks will be allowed into games.
• No cash: All transactions inside the park will require a debit or credit card. (Those with cash can convert it at new cash-to-card kiosks.)
• New menus: Food offerings will focus on individually packaged items.
• Cleaning: The Mariners will use “the latest technology and products” to clean and sanitize any potential presence of COVID-19.