Momentum of the 12th Man

[rastahawk]

Does this year seem like there is an extraordinarily high spike in the 12th Man presence? I don't ever recall seeing this many Hawk fans in opposing stadiums before. Not even in our 2005 run. Prior to this year they will probably pan over to the two Seahawk fans in the stands. But now we're hearing the "Seahawks" chant everywhere.

Pumped and Jacked baby. That's how we do it.

 

[5280Hawk]

I totally agree, a buddy of mine who's a Falcons fan was commenting to me about all the 12's. He hasn't seen any of our other away games.

They're all like that now fella.

 

[Chrome_Seahawk]

While I think there may be a BIT of a bandwagon presence, I can say from experience that I also think that people are just so excited about this team that they are making a special effort to get to away games and experience "RoadHawking" for themselves. I've been a season ticket holder for over 10 years now and this year will be the first time that I've attended an away game (I'm going to the Hawks vs Giants game in December).

 

[Anonymous]

I think we all existed in some fashion to this point, but now we have a much better reason to want to get a little closer to it than our own living rooms. Thank Russell for releasing the closet Hawk fans everywhere.

It is much more fun going to a game that you live close to when you know you will not be the only guy wearing a Hawks jersey there. I went to the game at Reliant in 2009 and saw only 15 other 12's the whole time.

 

[JKent82]

I think it's definitely swept up the city, even purely judging from the number of local ads featuring Seahawks. There's next zero competition for the Hawks right now for money and interest. And honestly as bandwagon-y as people make Seattle fans out to be, when the going is good I think there are few cities that embrace their teams like Seattle.

Plus all the out of staters/old fans are reminded of our awesome more when we get talked about in the media. So then they start following more.

 

[Seahawk Mike]

For most people it is much easier to openly support a team when they are doing well...hence more and more people are going to the games where ever they may be.

But it is very tough for most people to take the beating at an away game when you know the team is going to get owned.

Been to Arizona, San Diego and San Fran for games and it does get pretty rough even when the Seahawks are winning...and I don't blame many for not wanting to deal with it.

 

[BleedGreenNblue]

just because people are new fans does not make them bandwagoners. Now my buddy is a Steelers fan but all of a sudden he's a hawks fan. thats my definition of bandwagon

 

[Oakhawk]

One of the things I remember in either the '05 NFC title game or Superb Owl XL was the 'expose' on Shaun Alexander, and him asking the camera "Do you know me?"

This year is so different, it's amazing how much exposure we've had and continue to have.

 

[FDNYHAWK]

BleedgreenNblue, unless you're a young kid, someone who moved to the aree or lived under a rock and never heard of football, I'd say most new fans are bandwagon fans. Since they're winning now its cool to wear the gear, go to the games,go to away games or go out to watch them. If they were losing we wouldn't have many new fans. Winning=bandwagon fans

 

[jblaze]

I thank Russell, Pete and John for this. They've built something special here in Seattle, the likes of we may never see again so relish it while you can. They did it the right way and with class, this is something that people can truly get behind and believe in.

Take it all in fellas, this is our year!

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Also, some of the older fans that have moved away and now can root for their fanbase with other 12s are more aggressively seeking out those away games. Most of the time Seattle was losing, we would get the Denver game in the Boize area. The last 3 years, we have experienced a greater following of Seahawk games in this area. There are still a lot of followers of other teams, but I am liking the exposure we get in this state now. THanks to the 12s.

 

[HawkWow]

just because people are new fans does not make them bandwagoners. Now my buddy is a Steelers fan but all of a sudden he's a hawks fan. thats my definition of bandwagon

Not necessarily. The guy in your analogy used the Hawks, as a cure, to beat an unthinkable disease. Steelers = Syphilis.

 

[seahawks08]

Winning = Bandwagon fans
Winning consistently = Die hard fans

If you look at some of the teams, either they have a lot of history behind it from the era they played, the rivalry, where families sat around a table and grew up watching and talking football. It bodes well with the blue collar theme of working in factories and appreciating the physicality of the game.

We are a very young team and a diverse city where there is influx of new people every year and they have not grown up around the same environment. So give it sometime, once Seahawks start with winning the first Superbowl and winning becomes a habit, we will have lot more bandwagon fans who will become die hard fans. We are a more of a digital society that use our soft fingers on keypads and touch screens, so physicality is a little alien in this era To give you an example when I used to be Nebraska and North Dakota, people talked about football all day long, barbeque, grilling in backyard and lots of beer. It was like a feverish atmosphere during college football season or when hockey season starts. When I moved to Seattle, I felt football was never a conversation starter, it was always about biking, weather and fusion food

 

[LawlessHawk]

It's been fun to watch the "away" games on TV and hear the commentators in almost every game this year mention at least once, and many times more than once, something about how loud it is when the home team is on offense or "those boo's you're hearing over that pass interference call... those are the seahawks fans"...

 

[AF_Hawk]

I think a lot of the excitement is because how fast the team has turned around in a tough division as opposed to back in '05 when we were a good team turned great but in a crappy division.

Edit.

Forgot too mention that it is also more exciting as a fan to watch domination in the trenches rather than a finesse team, IMO.

 

[KARAVARUS]

I don't care how we get fans. It doesn't affect how I am a fan. Born and raised--no choice.

12th man is like a cool club everyone sees, thinks is cool, and wants to be a part of. Party on!

 

[rastahawk]

Also in contrast to teams in the past there are lot more "Nationally" recognized stars if you will. That could be partly due to the explosion of the Internet and social media. But even in our '05 run people would ask me "Who's your quarterback again?". Nobody knew who Bobby Engram and Daryll Jackson were. Our team was basically synonymous with Shaun Alexander.

The Hawks have evolved into a trendy brand with superstars that get mentioned and written about all the time in the media. Its not surprising because with a larger fanbase there's more consumers of that material. If you don't know who Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Golden Tate, etc... is. You don't know football. I am not sure any team in our history can rival the player recognition, attention, and respect that this team has. Not sure if this was left to chance but somehow I think Pete Carroll and John Schneider knew exactly what they were doing.

And for Russell Wilson. Everything he does is unprecedented.

 

[BlueThunder]

If we go to the Super Bowl, we need the 12th to PACK the stadium, much like the stupid Stealers fans did in '06. If we could take over 80% of the stadium like they did, the Vince Lombardi is OURS!

 

[IndianaHawkFan3]

Long time hawk fan living in Indiana now for last 25 years. Went. To the colts game 4 years ago just a few hawks fans. This year hundreds if not a thousand seahawks fans jerseys etc... at the game in Indy! Midwest Seahawkers group organized a rally the night before plus tailgate gameday. People out here hate Pete Carroll but love Wilson and Lynch! Young people also love our new jerseys! Youjust didnt hear all the hawks afterthe game because we lost...Going to the rally and tailgate I thought I would meet lots of Midwest hawks fans but it was mostly fans from Seattle who flew out just for the game. They believed this year was going to be special and wanted to experience it all. Go Hawks!

 

[5gohawks5]

Watch out! Its a hawknado and its sucking everyone in!