Hockey blogger Gregg Drinnan said that the WHL is "exploring the possibility of staging two outdoor games" at Safeco Field, according to Geoff Baker of the SEATTLE TIMES. Drinnan in his Taking Note blog last week wrote that a source "claimed the WHL might play two games at Safeco" by '19. The source was quoted as saying that the Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips junior teams "could each play a game there." The timing is "intriguing, given how rumors continue to abound the NHL could award a franchise early next year to play at a revamped KeyArena" by the '20-21 season. Thunderbirds GM Russ Farwell said that his organization "approached the Mariners more than three years ago to explore" playing an outdoor game at Safeco, but the Thunderbirds "haven’t had follow-up discussions" since Mariners President & COO Kevin Mather took over in '14. Among the issues of staging hockey at Safeco is the "possibility of having to put up $85,000 to re-sod the outfield if the grass didn’t take properly once the ice surface" is removed. Mariners Senior VP/Communications Randy Adamack said that the team "hasn’t held any recent talks with WHL clubs, but did get a call from 'a promoter' the past year wanting to explore an outdoor hockey game." Baker notes "nothing further came of it" (SEATTLE TIMES, 11/6).
