Seattle Seahawks fans are celebrating after Sunday’s big win over the New England Patriots. They’re also celebrating on some level because the Seahawks continue to make being a sports fan in Seattle feel worthwhile (Sorry, Mariners).
Realtor.com wanted to find out which cities in America were the most expensive to be a sports fan. Wouldn’t you know it, Seattle came in at No. 3 overall.
They came up with their rankings based on three criteria. How much does it cost to attend a game in full (ticket, parking, concessions)? How much does it cost to live near the pro team stadiums? And how much more does it cost to live near a stadium than overall in the city?
They pegged Seattle’s overall median price at $432,500 but noted that the median price for a residence within two miles of both CenturyLink Field and Safeco Field is $699,000. They also note the average cost per person of attending a Seahawks game at $151 and the average cost of a Mariners game at $64.
Both the Seahawks and the Mariners play downtown, close to shops and restaurants. The area has changed significantly in recent years, with the construction of several luxury apartment projects, a hotel tower, and a office tower as part of the Stadium Place project.
To be fair, this is hardly a scientific study. The Seattle Sounders, Seattle Storm, and Washington Huskies all deserve to have a say in the impact of sports fandom around town. But we suppose if you consider this as how expensive it is to not only attend Seattle sporting events but also live within walking distance of the major stadiums, then it makes more sense to see Seattle up there with New York City and Boston.