Seattle is renowned for its picturesque landscapes and vibrant culture and for being the origin of iconic musicians and bands like the Foo Fighters, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. It is also the birthplace of Starbucks and where Microsoft has its headquarters. Seattle is also the home to four of North America’s most famous sports teams, and Seattleites are fiercely loyal to the athletes representing their great city.

Seattle boasts a storied sporting legacy dating back decades. That sporting history is punctuated by memorable moments and marked by passionate fandom. From the iconic “Legion of Boom” era of the National Football League’s (NFL) Seattle Seahawks to the divisional titles of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Seattle Mariners, the city has etched its name in the annals of sporting history. The city’s rich history and the emotional support of its loyal fanbase make Seattle a mecca for sports enthusiasts seeking excitement from a vacation.

Seattle Seahawks: A Beacon of Gridiron Glory

The Seattle Seahawks are the most famous and successful professional sports teams in Seattle. Established in 1974, they entered the NFL as an expansion team two years later and quickly gained a reputation for having a solid defense that terrorized opposition

offenses. That watertight defense has resulted in 11 Divisional Championships, three Conference Championships, and one Super Bowl victory, and is a standout reason why Washington online sportsbooks often price the Seahawks as favorites in most games they play.

Between 2011 and 2018, the Seahawks defense was collectively known as the “Legion of Boom” due to its tough-tackling nature and ability to prevent opponents from scoring. Seahawks fans enjoyed plenty of success during this era, including defeating the Denver Broncos at Super Bowl XLVIII in 2013, where the Seahawks ran out 43-8 victors.

If you want to experience a raucous atmosphere, head to the Seahawks’ Lumen Field on game day. Seahawks fans are known as the “12th Man” for their passionate support. The team’s fans have twice set Guinness World Records for the loudest crowd noise! In December 2013, fan noise was recorded at 137.6 decibels, louder than a jet plane taking off, an ambulance siren, and almost on par with fireworks and gunshots! The wall of noise Seahawks fans produce has led to opposition teams practicing with rock music bellowing so they can get used to calling plays under the noise!

Seattle Mariners: Hoping to End a World Series Drought

Seattle has had a Major League Baseball team, the Mariners, since 1977. Baseball is often called America’s favorite pastime, and thousands of passionate fans visit the T-Mobile Stadium in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood whenever the Mariners are at home.

It was not until the Mariners’ 15th MLB season that the team enjoyed a winning season, and they did not reach the World Series Playoffs for another two seasons. The Mariners have won the West Division titles three times, doing so in 1995, 1997, and 2001, the latter being the Mariners’ best season.

In 2001, the Seattle Mariners won 116 games and lost only 46. That incredible record set a new American League record and tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the Major League record. Unfortunately, the Mariners have been unable to reproduce that epic season and currently hold the unwanted record of being the only active MLB franchise not to appear in the World Series.

Despite a lack of success in the ballpark, more than 33,000 fans turn up every home game and show unwavering support for the men on the field. Surely, it is a matter of when not if the Mariners reach baseball’s World Series.

Seattle Kraken: Unleashing Hockey Fever

Seattle-based hockey fans have been crying out for a professional ice hockey team for decades, and they finally received their wish in 2021 with the formation of Seattle Kraken. The Seattle Totems played in the National Hockey League (NHL) until 1975, but the city had been without a team since then.

The Seattle Kraken play their home games at the Climate Pledge Arena, a 17,000-capacity multipurpose arena on 1st Avenue North. The Kraken sells out every game, so getting a ticket may be challenging as hockey fever spreads throughout the city.

The Kraken finished a respectable eighth in the Pacific Division and 15th in the Western Conference during their inaugural season. They improved to fourth in the Pacific Division and seventh in the Western Conference last year. Last year, the Kraken progressed to the playoffs, where they won their first-round game but faltered in the second round. Kraken fans look set to enjoy the excitement of the playoffs again this season.

Seattle Sounders: Success on the Soccer Field

Soccer is not the first game that springs to mind when you think of North American sports, but the Seattle Sounders FC is helping to change that way of thinking. Founded in November 2007, the Seattle Sounders played their first Major League Soccer game at the Seahawks’ Lumen Field in 2009. Although fans do not fill the Lumen Field, an average attendance of over 32,000 ranks the Sounders third in the MLS attendance rankings, trailing only Charlotte FC and Atlanta United FC.

Despite their relative infancy, the Seattle Sounders are among the MLS’s most feared and respected teams. They have only once finished lower than fourth in their conference and competed in the playoffs in 14 of their 15 seasons.

The Sounders have enjoyed their fair share of success, too. The 2014 Seattle Sounders team won the U.S. Open Cup and their first Supporters’ Shield as the best team in the MLS regular season. They looked set to win the coveted MLS Cup in 2014 but fell in the semi-final stage; otherwise, they would have completed an unprecedented treble.

The Seattle Sounders have won the MLS Cup twice, the Supporters’ Shield, Western Conference, and CONCACAF Champions Cup once, and the U.S. Open Cup four times. If top-tier soccer gets you excited, you could do much worse than soaking up the atmosphere at a Seattle Sounders FC game.