As part of new initiatives for 2019, the Seattle Mariners are rolling out a pilot of cashless transactions in select areas of T-Mobile Park as well as mobile tickets.
With this announcement, the Mariners are tapping into a few trends around major professional sports venues. Mobile tickets have become increasingly common in recent years as teams and fans move away from paper ticketing, and the Mariners are announcing a policy of their own that puts a greater emphasis on mobile tickets by eliminating the print-at-home PDF delivery option. Printed tickets will not disappear completely under this policy, however, as they will still be available via transactions at team stores, T-Mobile Park, and through mail or Will Call.
For cashless transactions, the Mariners are planning for select concessions at T-Mobile Park to conduct transactions only through credit, debit, and gift cards. This is not quite as drastic as some of the recent cashless transaction policies that have been introduced–including those at Tropicana Field for the Tampa Bay Rays, and Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the NFL’s Falcons and MLS’s United–but it still gives the Mariners an opportunity to experiment with the model as part of a pilot.
The exact policies for mobile ticketing and cash-free transactions can be found below, per a press release from the Mariners:
Mobile Tickets
Starting this season, ticket buyers will no longer have the option to receive their tickets as print-at-home PDFs.
“Over 60% of all our single-game buyers, and many of our season ticket holders, are already opting for mobile delivery. The technology has evolved to the point where it is a fast, easy and secure way for fans to purchase, access and manage their tickets,” said Malcolm Rogel, Seattle Mariners Vice President of Ticket Operations and Event Services.
Beginning with Mariners FanFest March 23-24, fans will enter T-Mobile Park with their tickets on their mobile devices via the MLB Ballpark app. The mobile experience allows users to manage their tickets for entry or transfer tickets to another user.
Over half of all Major League Baseball teams either have already transitioned to mobile tickets or are doing so this season.
Printed Tickets Still Available
While it is expected that the majority of fans will opt for mobile delivery and entry, printed tickets have not been eliminated. Those who purchase tickets at Seattle Mariners Team Stores and at the ballpark ticket office will continue to have the option to receive printed tickets at the time of their transaction. Buyers can also choose to have tickets mailed or left at will call. Season ticket holders can choose either printed tickets (but not PDFs) or digital delivery. Suite holders and groups of 20 or more will continue to use printed tickets.
Cashless Pilot
The Mariners Garage and a limited number of concession locations inside T-Mobile Park will accept only credit, debit and gift cards. All food and beverage locations in The ‘Pen, powered by T-Mobile, will be cash-free. Up to a dozen other concession locations around the ballpark will also be cash-free. Locations will vary over the course of the season. Information gathered about customer wait times and transaction speed will be evaluated after the season to determine the future of the cash-free transaction model for the ballpark.
The majority of T-Mobile Park concession locations as well as Mariners Team Store and merchandise points of sale around the ballpark will continue to accept cash during the 2019 season.
For a closer look at what else the Mariners are planning for T-Mobile Park this season, see our 2019 preview for the team and ballpark.
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