Mariners Prepare T-Mobile Park for Summer Camp and 2020 Regular Season Games Without Fans

Protecting health and safety is the focus of the operations plan to prepare for gradual reopening of ballpark for players and staff

The Seattle Mariners announced Tuesday an operations plan for T-Mobile Park in preparation for the start of Summer Camp and the 2020 Major League Baseball season.

Mariners players will begin reporting to T-Mobile Park on July 1, with the first organized workouts of Summer Camp on July 3, and spectator-less regular season games scheduled to begin in late July.

“I think it’s going to be exciting. This is going to be like ‘Speed Dating’ for baseball. It’s going to be a 60-game sprint to the finish with new rules like the universal designated hitter and a runner at second base for extra innings. I’m looking forward to seeing some of our young players like Evan White, Julio Rodriguez and Jared Kelenic. I’m excited and I think every Mariners fan should be excited,” said John Stanton, Mariners Chairman & Managing Partner.

Working with Major League Baseball, the Players Association, state and local health officials, the Mariners COVID-19 Operations Plan focuses on protecting the health and safety of everyone who enters T-Mobile Park during Summer Camp and the regular season.

“For the past three months we’ve been preparing for the return of baseball here at T-Mobile Park, looking at every aspect of the operation from access to the building, health screening of all staff and players, cleanliness, housekeeping and more. We want baseball back, but we want everyone to be safe and healthy here inside the ballpark,” said Trevor Gooby, Mariners Senior Vice President, Ballpark Operations.

Return to Play Safety Plan

The Seattle Mariners operations plan outlines new policies and practices that are being undertaken to facilitate a safe return to T-Mobile Park, including:

• Limits on the number of employees, staff and players allowed at the ballpark at any given time;
• Mandatory health screenings for everyone who enters the ballpark;
• Enhanced cleaning protocols that utilize the latest technology to target suspected or known presence of COVID-19;
• A designated Infection Control/Prevention Coordinator to ensure compliance with all health and safety protocols.

Limited Access to T-Mobile Park

• The majority of Mariners employees will continue to work from home until further notice;
• A limited number of staff are designated essential for Summer Camp and regular season games;
• An even smaller number are approved to have access to restricted areas such as clubhouses, dugouts, field, etc.;
• All who enter T-Mobile Park must undergo and pass health screening, use PPE, observe social distancing and adhere to health and hygiene protocols.

Health Screening and COVID-19 Testing

On-Field Personnel:

• All on-field personnel (players managers, coaches, umpires) will be tested in compliance with MLB/MLBPA’s health and safety protocols (every other day);
• Testing includes saliva or oral/nasal swabs and blood serology/antibody testing prior to and throughout Camp, the regular season and postseason;
• All on-field personnel will be screened daily before entering T-Mobile Park (symptom questionnaire and contactless temperature check) by medically licensed personnel.

Staff:

• The limited number of staff who will be allowed at T-Mobile Park must undergo saliva or oral/nasal swab and blood anti-body screening for COVID-19 prior to the start of Summer Camp and submit to frequent testing during Summer Camp, the regular season and postseason;
• All staff members will be screened daily before entering T-Mobile Park (questionnaire and contactless temperature check) by medically licensed personnel.

All tests will be sent to the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (“SMRTL”), the CLIA-certified laboratory controlled by Major League Baseball located in Salt Lake City, Utah. SMRTL has converted a portion of its anti-doping laboratory (already contracted to MLB) to test for COVID-19 virus and related antibodies. Testing of players and staff will not impact the availability of testing in the local community.

Symptom Response Plan

If an individual exhibits symptoms of suspected COVID-19 while at T-Mobile Park, the Mariners have developed a response plan that includes isolation, care and monitoring by medical personnel, contact tracing, cleaning of symptomatic spaces and protocols for return of the recovered individual to the ballpark.

Infection Control/Prevention Coordinator

Matt Toth, Mariners Assistant Athletic Trainer, serves as the team’s Infection Control/Prevention Coordinator (ICPC). Toth works in conjunction with Dr. Tim Johnson, Mariners Team Physician, and Mark LaPalm, Health & Safety Consultant, to ensure compliance with all health and safety protocols. Toth is in his 15th season with the Mariners organization. He has a master’s degree in Health and Human Performance from Oregon State University and a minor degree in Public Health.

Enhanced Cleaning

Since T-Mobile Park was closed on March 13, the Mariners have worked with contract cleaning services provider ABM to create an enhanced cleaning protocol for COVID-19 that utilizes the latest technology. ABM has expertise in this field and works closely with board certified experts in infectious disease and industrial hygiene.

Enhanced efforts include:

• Daily cleaning and disinfection of the entire facility, with particular attention paid to high traffic touch points such as handles, common areas, elevators, restrooms, etc.;
• Use of electrostatic sprayers to apply an electrically charged, broad spectrum disinfecting solution that is formulated to target suspected or known presence of COVID-19 but is non-toxic to humans;
• Installation of an ionized air purification system in clubhouses and other indoor spaces used by players and on-field personnel, trainers and clubhouse staff. The system reduces outdoor air intake and kills pathogens;
• Use of UV-C light to eliminate the threat of bacteria, viruses, mold spores and allergy-inducing microorganisms found on everyday items.

PPE & Social Distancing

• In compliance with Public Health Seattle King County directives, everyone in T-Mobile Park must wear appropriate face coverings.
• Players are exempt only while on the field or involved in strenuous activities such as working out, batting practice, strength & conditioning activities.
• On-field personnel are encouraged to spend as much time as possible outdoors and everyone who is at T-Mobile Park is required to maintain at least six-feet of physical distance from one another even while on the field.
• Dugouts, bullpens, clubhouses and all areas utilized by players and on-field personnel have been reprogrammed for appropriate physical distancing including removal of furniture and other items that encourage people to congregate. Dugout overflow will be in cordoned off seating areas above the dugouts, spaced at least six-feet apart.

Player/On-field Staff, Employee Education

MLB has created a comprehensive education programs with recommended best practices for reducing the risk of infection with COVID-19. The program was developed in consultation with medical and public health experts. The program must be completed by all players, on-field personnel and staff before returning to T-Mobile Park.