How a half-full CenturyLink Field could affect Seahawks in 2020

The Seahawks might be playing home games in front of a half-full CenturyLink Field in 2020. How could this affect the season?

As our own Geoff Shull wrote, with potentially fewer people in the stands at NFL stadiums in 2020 there will be less money for NFL teams and beyond. This could, as obviously the Seahawks are a National Football League team, affect the football team in Seattle. According to some reports, the NFL could lose as much as 38 percent of revenue this coming season if NFL stadiums are just half-full.

But forget the money aspect. Fandom isn’t about dollars and cents, it is about passion for a team or player. Since 2010, Seattle has a home record of 57-23. In fact, since 2003, Seattle has had just one season where they were less than a .500 winning percentage at home.

In three seasons since 2003, Seattle has gone unbeaten at home (2003, 2005 and 2012). And in four other seasons, the Seahawks have won 7 out of 8 home games at CenturyLink Field (2007, 2013, 2014 and 2016). The point is, the Seahawks rely on 12s a bunch to win games.

Clearly, human nature responds to a positive reaction. When a team is playing in front of their home city’s crowd, the applause, for the most part, should be for the home team. (Unless you play for a team in Philadelphia in which case, I am sorry, your home fans pretty much suck.) One huge reason the Seahawks have been as successful as they have been over the last 17 years is that 12s show up and make a lot of noise.

12s have broken sound barriers and caused an earthquake (Beast Quake). Seattle fans disrupt other teams’ calls and rhythm and therefore help the Seahawks win. That is not make-believe. That is for reelz, yo.

Seahawks affected at home by COVID-19

But with this beast of a virus going around, fewer fans are likely to be sitting in NFL stadiums. This means potentially half-filled arenas and football stadiums. But this also means less crowd noise.

Crowd noise can affect games. 12s are a loud and proud bunch. They help the Seahawks win. But there is a very real chance that the NFL allows, and safety is of grave and correct concern, only half-filled stands. An inferior team that might otherwise feel intimidated by 12s at a Seahawks game, might feel some hope in their ability to communicate calls.

The current virus sucks. People fall ill. This is far more important than a silly football game. But football also serves as a diversion from everyday real life. Fewer 12s at CenturyLink Field for a Seahawks game is bad and could affect Seattle’s season, but could also save lives.

But in the end, whether it be 2020 or 2021, 12s will win out and fill CenturyLink sooner rather than later. When that happens, 12s will laugh as their Seahawks defeat the opponent and know that 12s have also defeated COVID-19’s effect on people’s lives as well.