Sounders FC, along with the Seattle Mariners and the City of Seattle, held a press conference this afternoon at T-Mobile Park regarding the partnership of both organizations with the City of Seattle to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible fans at both Sounders FC and Mariners home games. The event featured Sounders FC Majority Owner Adrian Hanauer and Assistant Coach Gonzalo Pineda, Seattle Mariners Chairman John Stanton, and City of Seattle Mayor, Jenny Durkan.
On Sunday, Sounders FC held two pop-up vaccination clinics at Lumen Field during the match, and will continue to do so during home matches in the month of May.
“We are proud to be partnering with the Mariners and doing our part at Sounders games to vaccinate individuals,” Hanauer said. “It allows our community to come back to life and back to normal.”
Additionally, Hanauer spoke highly of the team’s 100 percent vaccination rate among the players and technical staff, which was announced last week.
“I am super proud of the Sounders and 100 percent vaccination within our team and technical staff, he said. “It allows the protocols to loosen up, it allows them to do their best and make their city proud, win games, challenge for championships and make an impact in our community.”
Pineda, a former Sounders FC midfielder who is now on the team’s coaching staff, echoed Hanauer’s sentiments: "Everybody on the team is vaccinated. It was an easy process, it was safe. It was the best for us to get back to some sort of normality. That is very important.”
More specifically, the former standout for Mexico’s national team encouraged the Latino community, as well as other minorities, to get vaccinated.
“You have heard that minorities have been more impacted, and I encourage Latinos and other minorities to get vaccinated,” Pineda added. “Do what you can so we can enjoy the game with full attendance again, have normal lives, and be safe. This is a great opportunity.”
The vaccination clinics at both stadiums are offered free of charge and are being made available on a walk-up basis with no appointments necessary. Vaccinations are administered by Seattle Fire Department mobile EMS units, alongside Virginia Mason Franciscan Health staff.
