Seahawks/Seattle sports question (layoffs, buying, college)

[Andy Patrizio]

(disclaimer: not trolling)

I'm curious if there has been a team mania Seahawks in recent Seattle history. It's never been a town I associated with a) a top sports franchise or b) fanatical fans. But when you guys are setting off the earthquake detectors and Seahawks fans are cast as the villains in a commercial, well, that's something. So has there been a team before that evoked such reactions?

[DevanXL]

Originally Posted by Andy Patrizio

(disclaimer: not trolling)

I'm curious if there has been a team mania Seahawks in recent Seattle history. It's never been a town I associated with a) a top sports franchise or b) fanatical fans. But when you guys are setting off the earthquake detectors and Seahawks fans are cast as the villains in a commercial, well, that's something. So has there been a team before that evoked such reactions?

Actually Seattle sports has had huge Fanbases. The Sonics were always known to have a large following. The Seahawks have sold out 90 straight games and even Pro Soccer has always been big here. Husky Stadium has always been known as one of the loudest venues in college sports an one of the most dangerous places to play. It just wasn't hyped as much in the media as it is now. The Media controls all this expansion of fanbase by Seattle. People are drawn to the Seahawks and we now have followers around the world. This promotes smack talk and whiny from other teams around the league who in all honesty are just jealous of the teams success and how they are casted in the media. Just like how Cowboys are always seen negatively by alot of sports fans though the perception in the media is they are america's team.

[cjg5]

I'm not a sports fan myself, and haven't been following the Seahawks (and never have in my life, at that), but they have been popular before. The Sounders get popular with some, too. I'm sure the Mariners could be more popular if they played better. (Actually, they have been a lot more popular in the past when they were playing better. Anyone remember 'two outs, so what?' Even 'SODO Mojo' seems to be a thing of the past). The Sonics were pretty popular before they left town.

[Hemlock140]

Seattle is very much a bandwagon sports city, when teams do well they become fanatics, when teams do poorly, they don't show up, but find other things to take up their time and money. The Seahawks have been on an upswing and whatever happens next weekend have potential to be good for years. For the Mariners time is running out, they have been bad for so long I expect new records for low attendance if they don't do a lot better next season. The Sounders get an extra boost from the large number of immigrants from countries where soccer is so popular, and the young adults that grew up playing soccer here. I think they would have to have a really bad season to have a big drop in attendance.

[Ira500]

We've had this sports hysteria hit Seattle before. The '79 Sonics? They were turning over cars in celebration. On Broadway.
'95 Mariners? Absolutely. This town was crazy. 2005 Seahawks. People were excited and tuning in, but maybe not quite to the same extent as now. Sounders? I'm not a soccer fan, but they draw huge attendance, much larger than the Mariners for the last few years.
The Mariners day will come. They and the Washington Nationals are the only two teams to have never gone to the World Series. It'll happen. Maybe under new ownership, but it'll happen.

[Garethe]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Seattle is very much a bandwagon sports city, when teams do well they become fanatics, when teams do poorly, they don't show up, but find other things to take up their time and money. The Seahawks have been on an upswing and whatever happens next weekend have potential to be good for years. For the Mariners time is running out, they have been bad for so long I expect new records for low attendance if they don't do a lot better next season. The Sounders get an extra boost from the large number of immigrants from countries where soccer is so popular, and the young adults that grew up playing soccer here. I think they would have to have a really bad season to have a big drop in attendance.

This. Oh this. I used to be able to count the number of people on the upper decks of the old Kingdome during baseball season. I come from a family of diehard Cubs fans so not supporting a team, win or lose, is a foreign concept to me.

[Steve Bowen]

In addition to what was previously mentioned, I think what's behind the fan-base going so berserk is the possibility that our long nightmare of sports futility will finally be over.

Seattle is the most miserable sports city in America. Our basketball team was stolen. So was our first baseball team. Our teams got to the playoffs or even the championship over and over, and then fail.

The prospect of the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl generates such a strong reaction because it will assuage the pain of decades of futility and heartbreak across multiple sports in Seattle.

[pw72]

Agreed with everything above. Seattle has had some glimmers of splendor, but never have been ever to put it all together with the exception of the Sonics in '79. We have a chance this year with the Hawks, but they need to play better than against New Orleans.

The Hawks made the AFC Championship Game in '83, and the Mariners got into the playoffs four times but only to come up short, and still hold the regular season record for most wins. The UW Huskies have shared multiple national championships since 1960. And yes, the Sonics '79 title will always be remembered.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Seattle is very much a bandwagon sports city, when teams do well they become fanatics, when teams do poorly, they don't show up, but find other things to take up their time and money. The Seahawks have been on an upswing and whatever happens next weekend have potential to be good for years. For the Mariners time is running out, they have been bad for so long I expect new records for low attendance if they don't do a lot better next season. The Sounders get an extra boost from the large number of immigrants from countries where soccer is so popular, and the young adults that grew up playing soccer here. I think they would have to have a really bad season to have a big drop in attendance.

It's like San Diego in every regard. the Seahawks are off the hook right now and are tied with the Chargers as my second favorite team. My first being the 49er's so next weeks game is exciting for me. Like the Mariners, the Padres suck and have had low attendance in the past.

Now, what's this all about Seahawks fans?

Californians barred from buying tickets for NFC title game | www.ktvu.com

[pw72]

Not sure about that one. Not sure it is even legal. However, the Seattle Seahawk organization usually covers their bases. I think they may doing this here, perhaps under some obscure NFL regulation. Bottom line, I don't know. Perhaps someone within the organization can explain it. SF-SEA airfares are pretty cheap, fwit.