What’s better than a game between two contenders during the heat of the pennant race?
How about a crucial game that features a pregame card show, set against one of the most scenic backdrops in baseball?
The Seattle Mariners will host their third annual card show Tuesday night before their game against the San Diego Padres. Not only are both teams involved in tight division races (the Padres trail the Dodgers by one game in the NL West, while the Mariners are two back of the Astros in the AL West), but the inaugural Vedder Cup Trophy is also on the line for the two West Coast “rivals.”
The event will begin when the gates open and run through the end of the third inning.
Memorabilia vendors from throughout Western Washington were invited to showcase their wares on the Rooftop Boardwalk at T-Mobile Park, a spot on the west end of the 300 level that features a breathtaking view of Elliott Bay and downtown Seattle.
Alexa Olague, the Mariners’ manager of sales development, said the idea for the show was initially hatched by a few passionate collectors on her team. Other teams in MLB have hosted card shows before, most notably the Fenway Show, which has been held on the big concourse of the storied ballpark — but not on the day of a Red Sox game.
“We just have some collectors on our sales team who thought it might be fun to bring a card show to the ballpark, so we decided to take that and run with it,” Olague said. “We’ve kind of blown it up the last couple of years and added some promo items to go along with it as well.”
This year’s item, which is included with the purchase of a special-event ticket, could not have been better timed as the team is giving away a pin depicting Cal Raleigh’s famous home-run swing that sealed the Mariners’ 2022 playoff berth with a walkout win.
With Raleigh leading the majors in home runs with 47, the limited-edition pin is sure to be in high demand.
“We actually picked this a very long time ago, so we got lucky with it being Cal and with this explosion of a year he’s had.”
All fans in attendance are free to browse the display cases showcased at the show, and Olague said some companies have done “live ripping” of packs at the event.
“We’ve had some fans hit some bigger cards,” Olague said. “It’s fun because you get to see the hobby kind of explode at the ballpark in real life.”
While the show is sure to feature plenty of Mariners cards and collectibles from other Seattle teams, Olague said non-sports cards will also be on display, with a TCG vendor expected to showcase cards from Pokémon and other games.
Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez and reliever Gregory Santos are both avid anime collectors, but don’t expect to see any players browsing the show.
“I think if they could, they definitely would,” Olague said. “But given the show doesn’t start until we open the gates — so 90 minutes before (first pitch) — it’s likely tough for them to get up there. But maybe one day, it could be fun to get them to interact in the future.”
Kevin Jackson is the chief content officer for cllct. He spent 25 years at ESPN Digital Media, where he was the founding editor of Page 2, and nearly four years as the Executive Director for Digital Content at FOX Sports.