Three Mariners Executives Accused of Workplace Misconduct, Harassment
Three Mariners executives received workplace miscounduct complaints from female staff members in 2009-10 according to Geoff Baker and Mike Baker of the Seattle Times.
Per the report, current team President Kevin Mather, former team President Chuck Armstrong and former Executive Vice President Bob Aylward received complaints from three women, all of whom received financial settlements and left their respective positions.
The Mariners released a statement responding to the Times' report on Wednesday.
"Today the Seattle Times published a story about the Seattle Mariners workplace environment. We do not believe it accurately reflects the values and culture of our organization. I want to be very clear - the Seattle Mariners organization is 100% committed to maintaining a workplace environment in which every employee, partner, and fan feels safe, respected, and comfortable. We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind. This commitment has been a part of our corporate culture for many years, and we have strong policies in place to assure that whenever we see a problem, we confront it and take appropriate action."
Complaints regarding Mather's behavior first emerged in 2009, claiming Mather repeatedly rubbed the back of Aylward's executive assistant and made suggestive comments per the Times' report.
Aylward reportedly viewed pornography on his computer and would allegedly display it to his executive assistant while asking for help with computer troubles. Aylward was previously arrested in 2003 for patronizing a prostitute according to court records obtained by the Times.
Neither Armstrong nor Aylward provided comment on the complaints. In a statement, Mather said, "I was grateful for the opportunity to change my behavior and the managemeng training I received."
In addition to the complaints against team executives, the Times reports that Safeco Field's video team shot and saved footage of two female fans sitting in the crowd in 2015.
The Mariners also responded to this aspect of the Times' report, stating, "The Mariners do not record gratuitous videos of women in the stands. Period. The video was shot by freelance camera operators working on the television broadcast, not Mariners employees. The clips were shared with our Director of Security to help in the investigation of the incident. Our forensic investigation found no evidence of improper sharing of any similar files with employees or others, which would be against Mariners policies."
Mather currently serves as the President and CEO of the Mariners. Armstrong retired from the organization in November 2013, with Aylward retiring in October 2017.
