We signed the kids up for the Mariners Kids Club again this year. Well, three of them. The increase in price was one major factor, from $15 to $20, and the number of games that we would attend this summer is sort of, well, we already have a packed schedule. There are games when I might not even be taking three kids to the baseball stadium, let alone four. It just didn’t seem cost effective to spend the money on another membership that we might not get any benefit from.
Even at $20 a kid it is worth the price. Sure, there’s a free option, and we did sign one of the kids up for that option. There isn’t a heck of a lot that is associated with it though, so you’re going to want to plunk down the $20 – even now the season is in full swing. (Pun partially intended).
Included in the free version is a birthday card and “special ticket offers” which is sort of vague and there is no link to any further explanation.
Paying the $20 gets you the above, plus a lot more. The biggest perk is a set of $1 ticket vouchers which can be used on a number of different home games. How these vouchers work is parents need to buy one ticket at full price and their kids’ ticket is $1. There are certain sections of Safeco Field that are valid, but the views aren’t bad.
In previous years there were more vouchers, like 14 or so, each tagged to a specific date. This year there are only 6 vouchers but the number of games available to use the voucher has increased to over 30.
I would have liked to have a couple more ticket vouchers.
Each of the paid club memberships also includes a water bottle and a cap. This year’s cap is actually quite nice, much better than some from years past.
Additionally there is a “Mariners Baseball Bracelet” – this is something I think would have been better served had it been replaced with another ticket voucher.
Finally there is a lunchbox. This one is much better than what was previously offered. My daughter has been using it every day since it arrived.
Three other items are available to Kids Club members, at both the free and paid subscription levels. Those items are available to be picked up at Safeco Field – a Kids Club badge and lanyard, drawstring backpack, and wiffle ball. I’m not sure how I feel about these. Part of me thinks the packpack might be nice, but couldn’t members have a choice of backpack or lunchbox in exchange for another $1 ticket voucher? And a wiffle ball? Really? Why not a real MLB ball? Maybe instead of the lunchbox, bracelet, backpack and cap a voucher good for one free kid’s shirt and cap at a Team Store?
Still, even though there was a jump in price the Mariners Kids Club is worth picking up, especially if you are on the fence about taking your kids to the ballpark. This could be the shove you need to get out and enjoy some baseball.