SEATTLE MARINERS

Mariners hire Catie Griggs as new President of Business Operations

Jul 27, 2021, 3:41 PM

Mariners Catie Griggs...

Mariners President of Business Operations Catie Griggs. (Ben Van Houten/Seattle Mariners)

(Ben Van Houten/Seattle Mariners)

The Mariners have a new President of Business Operations, and it’s former MLS executive Catie Griggs.

Mariners need starting pitching, so what kind should they target?

Griggs’ hire was announced by the team and Chairman/managing partner John Stanton on Tuesday afternoon.

Griggs comes to Seattle after spending the last four years in Atlanta, where she served as Chief Business Officer for Atlanta United.

“We had a really impressive group of finalists for this role,” Stanton said in a news release. “Out of that very strong group, Catie set herself apart with her passion, her experience, and the perspective she will bring to the Mariners. We are pleased to welcome Catie to her new role and are looking forward to having her and her family join our community and team.”

Under Griggs’ leadership, Atlanta has led the MLS in average attendance every year. Griggs also oversaw all aspects of Atlanta’s
front office, including the strategic decisions leading to the high attendance marks, matchday production and operations in and around Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the team’s supporter groups and broadcasting, the news release said. According to the release, Griggs also directed the team’s community relations efforts, overseeing $2.5 million in donations and more than 22,000 volunteer hours in support of community events in 2019, as well as pursued efforts to increase diversity within the front office.

“The Mariners are a team on the rise, and as that success builds on the field, we have an opportunity to forge even stronger bonds with the community,” Griggs said in the release. “I will bring a championship mentality to everything the franchise does by focusing on the fans and giving back in meaningful ways. My values align very well with the Mariners mission, and I am honored to have the opportunity to join this organization at this extraordinary time.”

Prior to joining Atlanta United, Griggs was with Futures Sport & Entertainment, which is a cross-platform global media and sponsorships analytics consultancy that’s part of the Interpublic Group of Agencies. According to the news release, Griggs launched the firm’s Americas operations back in 2015 and led it to “significant growth” prior to her departure for Atlanta. Prior to her time at Futures Sport & Entertainment , Griggs spent five years with Turner Broadcasting where she served in roles such as strategy, business operations, strategic partnerships and business development, and media rights negotiations.

In 2017, Griggs, was named a Sports Business Journal Game Changer, an annual award that honors women leaders across all aspects of sports business.

Griggs is from North Carolina and graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in government and with an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Griggs and her husband Justin have two children.

The hiring process was led by Jeff Raikes, a member of the Mariners’ partnership group. Raikes led a “month’s long process” that included a 12-person search committee “made up of a diverse group of community members and Mariners front office staff,” the news release said.

Griggs’ hire comes roughly five months after former team president Kevin Mather resigned after comments he made to a local rotary club, which included racially insensitive statements, insults of veteran players, as well as hinting at the Mariners participating in service time manipulation with top prospects, were made public. Mather was Seattle’s team president from 2014 until his resignation in February.

Servais describes ’emotional’ M’s win over Astros: ‘It was a heck of a game’

Mariners Roof Report

Brought to you by
Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny
High 56° | Low 40°
No game today.

Seattle Mariners

Seattle Mariners Boston Red Sox Tyler O'Neill...

The Associated Press

Mariners drop opener 6-4 as Boston’s O’Neill makes history

Tyler O’Neill homered in his fifth straight opening day game to set a major league record, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4.

12 minutes ago

Seattle Mariners Mitch Haniger...

Brandon Gustafson

Welcome Back: Mitch Haniger blasts homer in Mariners return

Mitch Haniger kicked off his return to the Seattle Mariners with a bang, blasting a 2-run home run to right field in his second at-bat.

2 hours ago

Nelson Cruz Seattle Mariners...

Brent Stecker

After throwing out 1st pitch, Nelson Cruz retires as a Mariner

Nelson Cruz threw out the first pitch at Seattle Mariners opening day, then signed a one-day contract to retire with the team.

3 hours ago

Seattle Mariners Julio Rodriguez...

Brandon Gustafson

Mariners Notebook: ‘Consistent pressure’ theme for lineup in 2024

Scott Servais expects big things from the Seattle Mariners' lineup in 2024, as he shared ahead of their opener against the Boston Red Sox.

6 hours ago

Seattle Mariners lineup Julio Rodríguez...

Brent Stecker

See the first Mariners lineup of 2024 for opening day vs Red Sox

The Seattle Mariners' batting order for opening day of the 2024 MLB season against Boston showcases an improved amount of length.

9 hours ago

baseball movie Kevin Costner Field of Dreams...

Brent Stecker

Top 10: Who are the best baseball movie actors of all-time?

To determine the top 10 actors of baseball movie history, we limit the list to those who acted in as least two baseball movies.

10 hours ago

Mariners hire Catie Griggs as new President of Business Operations