The Seattle Mariners, who are apparently a professional sportsball team of some renown, (I keed, I keed….sports are FUN!!) are getting gay for Pride Month!
TWICE!
That’s a lot of Gay Lovin’!!!! They’ll need extra lube!
Like many sports companies in this great land of ours, at least the ones in Blue States, the Mariners do a “Pride Night” every season to honor their LGBTQ+ fans. Which, let’s be honest, is a fun way to market to them (us) and lure them (us but not me because I don’t leave the house much) to the stadium to spend money on tickets, $12 beers and $40 shirts.
Nothin’ wrong with that! We are SEEN! Or, at least our money is…
(Yes, I’m being a tad snarky. It’s Monday and my lumbago is acting up.)
It really is great that the Mariners are doing these…if we’re important enough to acknowledge as vital consumers, then we’re important members of the community. It sounds harsh but it’s the truth. If a business decides to market to LGBTQ+ consumers then it has to weigh the risks of that decision..in other words, will people who don’t like the LGBTQ+ community react in sufficient numbers to cause harm to the business who now support gay people by boycotting that business?
And, what businesses have learned is, the answer is usually no. Boycotts, at least of major brands or institutions beloved by large numbers of people, really don’t work that well, regardless of what side of the fence you are on. Occassionally a corporation freaks out and backtracks (looking at you, Target, who last year pulled Pride merchandise off shelves after right wing, worried ‘Mom’ types pitched a fit) but Target is still marketing to the LGBTQ+ community.
And, on the other side of the spectrum, the Left, or portions of the Left, have tried to boycott overly salty fried chicken sandwich purveyor Chick-fil-A for decades with little to show for it except huge profits for Chick-fil-A because bigots love them some greasy, salty chicken sammies. And, even though a lot of folks loathe Harry Potter author JK Rowling for her constant stream of divisive opinions on trans issues and women’s rights, Rowling still manages to make millions of pounds a year selling books, dvds, merch, and peculiar tasting beer made out of butter.
That’s not to say that boycotts never work. Community based boycotts have succeeded over the years in forcing businesses and institutions to make changes or cease operation. Such social protests were very instrumental during the Civil Rights era of the 1950s.
OOOPS…I digressed but we’ll blame the lumbago!
If you love baseball and/or the Mariners, then you will have two options to support them and show your Pride during the month of June. The first game is Saturday, June 1st at 4:15pm and the second one is Thursday, June 13th at 6:40pm. Here’s the ticket link: https://www.mlb.com/mariners/tickets/specials/pride
And, all the poo:
Celebrate Pride with the Mariners
We’ll be celebrating Pride at the ballpark throughout the month of June! The Seattle Mariners are committed to making sure that our communities are a place where all feel welcome and loved. To those who work tirelessly toward this goal, Pride Month is a time for us to recognize those efforts and have some fun, too. Don’t miss out on our two ticket special dates, featuring Pride-themed Mariners Jerseys on June 1 and T-shirts on June 13. Plus, $5 of every ticket sold during the first date will benefit the GSBA Scholarship Fund.
Purchase Includes:
For Saturday, June 1 game vs. Los Angeles Angels:
- Specially priced $52 Main Level or $35 View Level ticket.
- Limited-edition Mariners-themed Pride Jersey.
- $5 of every ticket sold will benefit the GSBA Scholarship Fund.
For Thursday, June 13 game vs. Chicago White Sox:
- Specially priced $29 Main Level or $19 View Level ticket.
- Limited-edition Mariners-themed Pride T-shirt.
Deadline to purchase: The weekday before each game – 5 p.m.
Redeem your limited-edition Mariners-themed Pride Item (while supplies last) by bringing your ticket to Section 143 (for June 1) and Section 339 (for June 13) before the end of the 3rd inning. This giveaway is only available to those who purchase through this special offer. Fans must present an equal number of valid Group Event game tickets to receive multiple giveaway items.