Vivid Seats projected 51% of attendees are 49ers fans, based off of ticket sales data.
SEATTLE — There may have been more San Francisco 49ers fans than Seattle Seahawks fans at the Seahawks’ home opener Sunday.
According to the ticket marketplace Vivid Seats, 49ers fans were projected to make up 51 percent of the crowd at Lumen Field, with people traveling an average of 672 miles for the matchup.
“I’m not surprised,” said Jared Lucas, a 49ers fan. “There’s no way any team is going to Santa Clara, where we play, and outsell us or beat within an inch of us.”
Local 49ers fan clubs organized meetups and watch parties across Seattle over the weekend, fueling a takeover vibe.
“I was expecting it because there’s just such a tight community. Of course people are going to be traveling out here to support them,” said Kenya Guzman, another 49ers fan.
The surge of red and gold is no accident.
The 49ers have long been known for their traveling fan base. In Los Angeles, some people even call the Rams’ SoFi Stadium “Levi’s South” — a reference to the 49ers’ home stadium, Levi’s Stadium.
“There is a lot of red out here. Since we’re so close to each other, it’s easier to fly here, I guess,” said Laurie Cowling, a Seahawks fan.
For Seahawks fans, the optics sting. Once considered one of the NFL’s most intimidating venues, Lumen Field saw its home-field advantage slip last season, with Seattle finishing just 3–6 at home. The influx of rival fans only adds to concerns about whether the “12s” can reclaim their dominance this year.
The rivalry between these NFC West foes is already one of the league’s fiercest, and this season opener was expected to set the tone.
Ultimately, the San Francisco 49ers took the win, 17–3.
