Liz McCloskey: Director of Sales Development and Group Events

Changing the landscape of T-Mobile Park attendance for the better.

The impromptu dog show that occurs postgame during Mariners Bark at the Park night keeps fans in their seats long after the game has ended. With shouts of “who’s a good boy” and “I love your dog’s outfit” as the parade of furry friends concludes around the bases, every fan involved has something to look forward to. When Liz McCloskey and her group events team brainstormed the execution of the Bark at the Park theme night, they focused on unlocking new ways to engage every type of fan at the stadium. Through all of the team’s theme nights, McCloskey brings groups to the stadium that might not usually attend a baseball game, but now have a reason to keep coming back because of the unforgettable experience that she creates for them.

McCloskey’s journey through the Mariners’ organization started over 20 years ago with her first job as a customer service representative. She took on any task that needed to be completed while connecting with customers and assisting with ticketing issues. She was shortly promoted to an account coordinator, where she handled season ticket member sales as a part of the Mariners’ sales team. After three years, McCloskey was promoted to a group and suite account executive, where she sold suites to companies, schools, and other interested parties.

In 2014, she continued moving up the ladder into the manager of group events role, where she helped execute all of the Mariners’ theme nights. In her current role as director of sales development and group events, she not only continues to oversee the team who creates theme nights, but also runs the entry level sales development program. With two different yet important aspects of her job, McCloskey is engaged in a variety of daily tasks to benefit fans and employees alike.

“In the sales program, we develop individuals who just recently graduated from college that come into their first time role to craft the sale of sport,” McCloskey explained. She oversees the growth and career path of every employee in the sales development program, and hopes to find promising full-time members within each year’s class. The twelve-month program exposes candidates to training in all segments of sales, and provides freedom for hands-on learning while receiving mentorship and coaching.

When planning theme nights and group events, McCloskey’s main goal is to engage community groups and non-Mariners baseball fans to give them a reason to come to the ballpark. Through heritage nights that highlight different cultures within Seattle, McCloskey works with each group to spread awareness for what they do within the community. For more specific theme nights that focus on different personal interests, such as Pokémon nights where fans can pick a t-shirt based on their favorite Gym color, and baseball card shows with booths lining the rooftop, there is something for everyone through the duration of a baseball season. McCloskey strives to find different types of cultural interests that can connect fans with the team in unique ways. “Our goal is to change the landscape of attendance.”

McCloskey’s favorite part of the work she does is seeing the game through the eyes of her community partners and fans, and having the opportunity to learn from them through their personal experiences. “There’s a new way to look at things every time you bring someone new to the ballpark,” she said. “My biggest highlight is engaging with customers and seeing things through their lens because everyone sees things differently.”

In both of her positions within the sales department, McCloskey feels the importance of developing the next generation of professionals and changing how women in the industry should be viewed. “It’s important for myself and others to have a position in leadership to be able to give back and show that baseball isn’t an old school game anymore,” she said. “I’ve been surrounded by women within our organization who have shown me that women can have these roles, and it’s so important to show the growth for the next generations in our department and beyond.”

McCloskey continues to make the game of baseball more accessible for every type of fan by creating different ways to engage with the Mariners organization both at the stadium and in the greater community. She provides important opportunities to change how fans experience the game, and with new theme nights promoted every season, there is always something for everyone to enjoy.