B.C. Seahawks fans heading south, thrilled to get more for their money compared to Canucks
The Seahawks, who will play in the Super Bowl next week, have over 4,000 season ticket holders from Canada, and that number has risen this year despite concern about crossing the border
By Steve Ewen
Last updated 1 day ago
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There are no tariffs on fandom. At least when it comes to the Seattle Seahawks.
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The Seahawks will play the New England Patriots Feb. 8 in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., and among their supporters will be Surrey’s Fred Gunn.
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He’s been a Seahawks season ticket holder since 2001. The team has over 4,000 season-tickets holders from Canada, according to a Seahawks director, Isabelle Van Coevorden, with the majority from B.C.
Despite political tensions that have led to many Canadians shying away from crossing the border, that Seattle season ticket total from this country has risen, with Van Coevorden listing last season at around 3,500. Keep in mind that from January to November 2025, British Columbians took over 1.6 million fewer trips to the U.S. compared to 2024 — a 40 per cent drop, according to data on vehicle crossings from Statistics Canada.
Gunn, 64, won a Super Bowl ticket lottery for ticket holders. The upcoming game will mark his fifth Super Bowl.
“I was coming home Sunday, randomly checked my emails and there it was,” he said. “It was ‘Dear Mr. Gunn…you have two tickets in your name for the game and you need to pay for them by Wednesday.’ I was euphoric.”
The testy relations between the countries was a talking point in Seahawk offices.
“Everything that was happening with geopolitical situations made us wonder if we needed to change up our strategy a little bit,” Van Coevorden said. “What are the experiences we’re creating in Canada in case those fans are not comfortable coming across the border? I think we did a great job of preparing for that. And I think as the season went on people became more comfortable.
“In some way, sports does bring people together. I’m happy that we’ve had such a good reception from our Canadian fans and that they do feel comfortable coming to Seattle”
Ryan Strachan, 53, of Tsawwassen has been a Seahawks season ticket holder since 2004 and admits that when relations between Canada and U.S. became frosty, he considered what he was willing to give to give up. He says that there are too many connections he and his wife have made with other fans to let that go.
“We’re not going to Disneyland or Hawaii or anything like that these days,” said Strachan. “But we didn’t want to give up those friendships because we’ve had them for so long. It goes beyond the football.
“There are other people there like us. They’re not going down for other things. They’ve changed family vacations. There’s an exception to be made here.”
The Seahawks have been doing watch parties in B.C. all season. They have their 12 North Bar Alliance, featuring establishments in Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria. They’re also regularly running flag football camps.
Their presence is ample. You see it with all the Seahawks merchandise. You see it with regular guests from Seattle on Donnie and Dhali, Sportsnet 650 and Sekeres and Price.
The Seahawks are clearly major players in the sports entertainment landscape despite that 230-kilometre drive and stop at the border. And, with the Vancouver Canucks’ brand taking its hits this season, it’s easy to wonder if there’s more of a market share for the Seahawks to take.
They’re keen on trying. The team has commissioned Vancouver-based Blackfin Sports Group — headed by former Canucks assistant general manager Chris Gear — as a sales partner, and Van Coevorden says “we’re really serious about our Canadian efforts and I think we’re looking for more partnerships … we want to continue to bring Seahawks football closer to our Canadian fans.”
The Seahawks look like they’ve got an extended run as a top contender coming, led by general manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald. Vancouver is an event town, and NFL playoffs leading to a Super Bowls certainly fit that bill.
You get the feeling this Seahawk thing is just picking up steam in these parts.
“It’s just such a polished product,” said Richmond’s Trent Gustafson, 54, who’s been going to Seahawks’ games since the 1980s and has been a season ticket holder for 19 years. “It’s put on well … I don’t think you need to necessarily know or like the teams to enjoy a game. I can’t say the same when I watch hockey or basketball or baseball.
“You go to a Seahawks game and the presentation, the non-actual game action, is just so good. The Canucks have got a little better over the years, but it’s not the same.”
Gunn said: “It’s just a quality entertainment, a good bang for your buck. Look at this year (with the Canucks). What’s the value? Watching the other team’s superstar?”
The NFL is the heavyweight champion of sports. Forbes’ list of the world’s 50 most valuable sports teams has the NFL taking 30 of those spots. The NBA was next up with 12. Major League Baseball had two. There was no NHL team included.
There are obviously built-in advantages. NFL teams play once a week and generally on Sundays. NFL Sunday is a brand. No other sport can claim that.
The time commitment is palatable in this age when we’re all so busy. There’s the one game per week. You’re not trying to figure out a Tuesday night visit from Columbus in mid-January or a Saturday matinee trip by Nashville in late February. You’re not worrying about the 41 home games with the NHL. The eight or nine home games — depending on how your team’s schedule plays out — also means that if you miss a game you’re also skipping a considerable chunk of the season.
Football is ridiculously social. Tailgating is intrinsically football. And the NFL seems to appreciate its customer more than the other big sports.
The Seahawks retired the No. 12 jersey in 1984, as a tribute to the fans supporting the 11 Seattle players on the field, and over the years they got the concept of “the 12s,” over. They’ve made it a matter.
The Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 last Sunday to win the NFC title, and when Macdonald was interviewed on the podium, among his first words were “this is the power of 12 as one,” and “how about the 12s?”
That’s not acting. That’s Macdonald believing the fan base matters. And that can be a powerful connection.
“You’re literally being invited in — they’re saying you’re our 12th player,” explained Tom Mayenknecht, who covers the business of the sport with his The Sport Market Show on Sportsnet 650. “It’s not only been a master class in terms of branding and positioning, but it can make fans who may be new to football feel welcome and feel empowered. It can’t be denied how the Seahawks have done such a great job.”
B.C. Lions play-by-play man Bob Marjanovich, who will attend his 25th Super Bowl next week and conduct interviews from radio row in the days leading up to the game, said: “The NFL is continually striving to connect to different markets. They’ve brought Nickelodeon on board to reach out to kids. You go to a Super Bowl and you see so many different activations. They try to reach every demo you can think of.”
There’s anecdotal evidence it’s working. Gustafson was at the game in Seattle last Sunday, took photos, put them up on his social media and saw the likes start to pile up within “six minutes of posting them.”
“Everybody started texting me…even people I had not heard from in months. ‘Are you at the game? What is it like?’” he said.
Gustafson has blue and green Christmas lights on his home that he’s been turning on to celebrate a Seahawks’ win. He has a 12 flag, too, that he’s been “too damn lazy to put up this season but it’s probably got to go up now.”
“There’s a lot of Seahawks fans in our neighbourhood,” he said. “It’s funny how many Seahawks hats and jackets and jerseys you’re seeing around the city these days.”
@SteveEwen
