The Mariners’ speakeasy that has “spread strictly through social media influencers and word of mouth” has stood out as a “unique ballpark innovation,” according to Shlomo Sprung of YAHOO SPORTS. The “Sea-cret Door” was born as “a speakeasy selling one specialty cocktail per game.” There has been “no team advertising and no mention of the door on radio or TV broadcasts all season; the door’s location is kept secret to create a sort of scavenger hunt for fans.” Developers decided the door “would operate during only about 30 of the team’s 81 home games.” The M’s “bolt a storage bin in front of the wall to preserve its location and identity” when it is not open. The Mariners would “make a huge return on investment if the door were open every game,” but they decided early on that “pure profit wasn’t the motivating factor.” There is a different $20-$30 concoction “based on a current event, pop culture theme or team milestone” each time the door is open. The Sodexo Live culinary team “usually plans a theme two to three weeks in advance.” Mariners VP/Fan Experience Malcolm Rogel said that representatives from four teams have “come to see their Sea-cret Door concept in person, and nine or 10 teams have called to talk about it.” The concept will “be back next season,” and the team is “considering adding an additional door” at the ballpark in 2027, which could include food and drink pairings (YAHOO SPORTS, 8/18).
