Seattle Mariners named 2014 Major League Baseball "Club Retailer of the Year"

The Seattle Mariners have been named the 2014 MLB "Club Retailer of the Year" by Major League Baseball Properties for the Club's commitment to driving merchandise sales through creative marketing and merchandising efforts. Having won the inaugural award in 2005, the Mariners are now the first two-time winners of the award.

Since its inception in 2005, the MLB "Club Retailer of the Year" Award has been awarded based on a combination of sales, vendor/customer feedback and creative marketing and merchandising efforts. The Mariners retail team posted strong results this season to complement the team's elevated on-field performance. Among the highlights of their 2014 campaign were in-stadium and in-store commercials, ads in the monthly Mariners Magazine and monthly ticket inserts to showcase different products and promotions. The Mariners this year embraced opportunities with Authentic Collection licensees such as Majestic and New Era, as well as non-traditional licensees like OPI and Oyo. Additionally, the Mariners creatively worked with a variety of Baseball's business partners to support their female fans by hosting one of the inaugural "Fields of Fashion" events at Safeco Field at Girls Night Out.

"The Seattle Mariners have long been one of Major League Baseball's top Clubs in the merchandising and retail sector thanks to a dedicated office staff and a very passionate fan base, and this year was no exception," said Howard Smith, Senior Vice President of Licensing for Major League Baseball. "As our industry has evolved, the Mariners have done an exceptional job staying current with the new landscape. This season, their retail staff continued to find new and innovative ways to reach fans and promote Mariners product through multiple channels and Club assets. They are well-deserving of this honor after one of the Club's most successful seasons."

"It's a great honor for us to be chosen for this award for the second time," said Jim LaShell, Mariners senior director of retail operations. "It is a tribute to the Mariners Merchandise staff who stay on top of current trends and are able to provide our fans with a product mix that appeals to a wide customer base. In addition to our merchandise and retail staff, credit goes to our marketing department for using our in-game assets and social media to promote our products. And we also need to give credit to Major League Baseball and all its vendors who are so supportive and bring our ideas to fruition." 

Previous recipients of the award have included the Seattle Mariners in 2005, New York Mets in 2006, Philadelphia Phillies in 2007, Milwaukee Brewers in 2008, Cincinnati Reds in 2010, Detroit Tigers in 2011, New York Yankees in 2012 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013.