Seattle, WA
Diehard Fans Give Seattle Seahawks a Home-Field Advantage—in Germany
Like many Germans,
Lukas Spiess
loves soccer. Like quite a bit fewer Germans, he means the American sort, and the Seattle Seahawks particularly.
He likes the Seahawks a lot that he flew practically 5,200 miles from Stuttgart to Seattle to absorb the spectacle of his group’s season opener in September.
“It’s very totally different from the classical European sports activities occasion,” he mentioned, pointing to extravagant pregame tailgating and opposing followers commingling within the stands. “Perhaps there’s a little bit of smack speak,” he mentioned, “however very not often are there ever bodily altercations.”
Soccer reigns supreme throughout Europe, however increasingly more Germans are enduring a five-or-more hour time distinction to observe American soccer and the Seahawks are their group. They also have a German Sea Hawkers fan membership.
This Sunday, Mr. Spiess and his fellow German fanatics will benefit from the Nationwide Soccer League’s first-ever regular-season recreation in Germany when the Seahawks tackle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers are technically the house group, but when the German Sea Hawkers membership has its manner, its group will take the turf at Munich’s 75,000-seat Allianz Enviornment with one thing of a home-field benefit.
German fan Lukas Spiess on the Seahawks’ season opener in Seattle.
Photograph:
Patrick Dinger
The NFL has hosted regular-season video games since 2007 within the U.Ok., the place the Seahawks are also common. After a 2018 matchup there towards the then-Oakland Raiders, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll mentioned it “felt like a house recreation.”
How did the Seahawks wind up with so many European followers? The NFL’s European advertising and marketing push spanned a decade when the Seahawks have been stringing collectively deep playoff runs with a colourful and charismatic group of stars that then included operating again
Marshawn Lynch
and cornerback
Richard Sherman.
On the similar time, German TV station ProSieben Maxx was providing free telecasts of extra video games.
In January 2014,
Daniel Humburg,
then a pupil, was flipping via channels when he got here throughout the Seahawks’ first postseason recreation in what turned their march to the Tremendous Bowl.
“I’m in my room, watching a sport I don’t perceive, and I’m fully into it,” he recalled. He stayed up watching till about 5 a.m., two hours earlier than courses started.
Some German followers started rooting for the Seahawks years in the past when operating again Marshawn Lynch, pictured in 2019, was a star.
Photograph:
Alika Jenner/Getty Photos
He was transfixed by a operating again nicknamed Beast Mode. “It was Marshawn Lynch bursting via D-lines like they have been little youngsters,” mentioned Mr. Humburg, now finding out to change into a high-school instructor.
Max Länge,
a Leipzig resident, suspects he was the primary particular person in Germany to personal Mr. Lynch’s jersey. He mentioned he was received over to the Seahawks by the “swagger” of Mr. Sherman and the remainder of their trash-talking defensive secondary, generally known as the “Legion of Growth,” throughout that run to a 2014 Tremendous Bowl victory.
Max Länge, founding father of the German Sea Hawkers fan membership, at a recreation in Seattle in 2013.
Photograph:
Max Länge
Mr. Länge gathered about 15 fellow followers later that 12 months and utilized to create a German chapter of the Sea Hawkers, a semiofficial booster membership that already had a foothold within the U.Ok.
The group turned a vanguard of Germany’s American soccer zeitgeist, as new followers gravitated towards the very best groups, corresponding to Seattle and the New England Patriots. “Nobody would change into a Browns fan,” Mr. Länge mentioned, referencing the chronically unsuccessful Cleveland franchise.
The German Sea Hawkers have grown to extra 1,800 than members. A digital media arm reaches extra with German-language evaluation and merchandise. Group-specific podcasts and different social-media pages have sprouted lately as streaming choices for video games have expanded.
Nonetheless, the Seahawks are removed from a family identify, mentioned
Simon Kell,
an information-technology skilled who lives outdoors of Düsseldorf. “Most Germans don’t know the place Seattle is in the US,” he mentioned.
A gathering of the German Sea Hawkers in Wiesbaden, Germany, final November.
Photograph:
Christopher Mettken
Mr. Kell visited New Orleans final month to observe the Seahawks play. He likes the X’s and O’s of soccer technique, in addition to the tradition round it: anthem singing, flag waving and occasional flyovers by jet fighters. “Every little thing is greater,” he mentioned.
When tickets went on sale for the Munich recreation, Mr. Kell discovered himself behind about 600,000 different followers with a web based vendor. “I used to be fortunate that I had mates who received tickets,” he mentioned, including that he would have coughed up 500 euros, or practically $500 a seat. Tickets have since offered in resale markets for hundreds apiece.
Tom Lang has been a Seahawks fan since residing close to Seattle as a part of a high-school trade program.
Photograph:
Dave Fleming
As out-of-town followers descend on Munich, air-traffic controller
Tom Lang,
who lives outdoors the town, plans to function an area information. “I’m getting concerned in all types of loopy stuff occurring,” he mentioned.
Mr. Lang has been a Seahawks fan since 1986, when he lived close to Seattle as a part of a high-school trade program. A season ticket-holder for six years, he visits Seattle recurrently to attend video games with a buddy, promoting or making a gift of unused tickets.
The German Sea Hawkers have offered greater than 800 tickets for a celebration at a Munich beer corridor the night earlier than kickoff. An Instagram publish promoting the occasion describes it as a “Heimspeil Celebration,” or home-game occasion, with conventional wheat beer and Bavarian delicacies.
Mr. Länge, the Leipzig resident who based the German Sea Hawkers, mentioned the gathering will probably be a fruits of years spent making an attempt to carry followers in his nation collectively.
“I will probably be there, watching folks and smiling, and shedding some tears,” he mentioned. “It’s simply what I dreamed of.”
Seahawks vast receiver Tyler Lockett throughout a recreation in October.
Photograph:
Steph Chambers/Getty Photos
Write to David Uberti at david.uberti@wsj.com
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For the fourth time already this season, Casey Lawrence is back with the Seattle Mariners.
May surge: Five top Mariners prospects are red-hot at the plate
The team recalled the veteran right-handed pitcher from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the second game of a three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox. Lawrence, 37, has made headlines this season because he’s been designated for assignment four times – thrice by the Mariners, and once by Toronto.
Lawrence is expected to pitch the bulk of Tuesday’s game against the White Sox after reliever Casey Legumina starts as an opener, per Seattle Sports’ Shannon Drayer. The Mariners signed Lawrence back on May 7, five days after he was granted free agency by the Blue Bays.
The Mariners optioned left-handed pitcher Jhonathan Díaz to Tacoma to make room for Lawrence on the active roster. Seattle also designated corner infielder Austin Shenton for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Shenton, a native of Washington state and Bellingham High School alum, was originally drafted by the Mariners in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut with Tampa Bay last year. The 27 year old returned to the Mariners organization over the offseason in a trade from Tampa Bay for cash after the Rays designated him for assignment.
Díaz, 28, was recalled from Triple-A by the Mariners on May 14 but did not pitch in a game. He has appeared in one game for Seattle this season and seven with the Rainiers.
Lawrence has pitched in four games with Seattle and once with the Blue Jays this season, allowing seven earned runs over 12 2/3 innings for a 4.97 ERA. He also has a 4.91 ERA over four appearances (14 2/3 innings) with Tacoma.
Lawrence originally played with the Mariners in 2017. He is set to become the sixth player in team history to have three separate tenures with Seattle, joining Mike Blowers, Raúl Ibañez, Norm Charlton, Roenis Elías and Jeff Nelson.
Game 2 of the Mariners’ series against the White Sox is set for a 4:40 p.m. Tuesday first pitch. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at 3:30 with the pregame show. However, it’s been a rainy day in Chicago, so there’s a good chance the game is postponed.
Also right now in Chicago… pic.twitter.com/V7vZRog6Bh
— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) May 20, 2025
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Seattle, WA
Here’s What Dan Wilson and Julio Rodriguez Had to Say After Seattle Mariners Win Over White Sox Monday
CHICAGO – The Seattle Mariners won their fourth consecutive game on Monday night, beating the Chicago White Sox 5-1 at Rate Field. Seattle is now 27-19 and remains in first place in the American League West. Chicago fell to 14-34, the worst record in the American League.
The M’s have won all four games to start this 10-game road trip through San Diego, Chicago and Houston.
Luis Castillo earned the win on the mound after tossing seven scoreless innings. He allowed just three hits and no walks while striking out five. He’s now 4-3 with a 3.20 ERA.
Offensively, Jorge Polanco had an RBI single in the top of the third and Julio Rodriguez broke the game open in the top of the eighth with a grand slam. It was the second grand slam of his career and his eighth homer of the year.
After the game, Mariners on SI caught up with skipper Dan Wilson and Rodriguez to talk about the win.
Dan Wilson on Castillo’s performance:
You know, great ballgame tonight. I think when you look at the outing that Castillo turned in, you know, giving us seven full innings there, really, really just attacked the zone. I thought his two-seamer was really good tonight. When you look at an outing like this, you know, he had everything going and attacked the zone, got ahead early, controlled the count on most of the hitters. And I thought that’s exactly what we needed from him. Great to get that from Luis.
On Jorge Polanco’s health, as he was pulled for a pinch-hitter against a left-handed pitcher again in the eighth inning:
He’s doing fine. You know, he’s coming along and right-handed swings are not too far behind, but we’re just taking it slow. And you know, his RBI single early was a big lift for us, I think. Getting on the board, getting us ahead, giving Luis (Castillo) a little bit of breathing room there on the mound was helpful. That was a big hit for us early in the game.
Julio Rodriguez on the team’s ability to add on late for a third straight game:
I mean, it’s huge, you know, especially, we’re on the road right now. Anything could happen later on and I feel like any run that we can add is big but, you know staying in the game…obviously it was a little slow at the beginning, but, you know, we kept having good at-bats, kept putting the ball in play, and we were able to make something happen later.
The Mariners will play the White Sox again on Tuesday at 4:40 p.m. PT, but there is rain in the forecast.
NEW PODCAST IS OUT! Brady is back for another episode of “Refuse to Lose,” talking about the M’s recent struggles and why he’s still not worried yet. Then, he talks about the problems with the starting rotation and how its hurting the rest of the operation. Finally, we are joined by former Mariners coach and three-time World Series champion Scott Brosius, who talks about his career and his time in Seattle. And Brady has a message for “fans” in the wake of what happened to Astros’ pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. CLICK HERE:
BRASH BACK? Matt Brash, working back from Tommy John surgery, is looking closer and closer to his old self, as evidenced by what he did against Aaron Judge this week. CLICK HERE:
STILL A PERFECT ZERO: After a scoring change from Tuesday night, Andres Munoz still has a perfect 0.00 ERA for the season. Here’s what happened. CLICK HERE:
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on “X” @Teren_Kowatsch and @RefuseToLosePod. You can subscribe to the “Refuse to Lose” podcast by clicking HERE.
We saw a little bit of everything on this spring Monday. Highs only in the low 60s with scattered showers, breezy winds and sunbreaks.
We saw a little bit of everything on this spring Monday. Highs only in the low 60s with scattered showers, breezy winds and sunbreaks. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Showers this evening have come to an end with partly to mostly cloudy skies. Rain returns late tonight into early Monday.
Showers this evening have come to an end with partly to mostly cloudy skies. Showers return late tonight into early Monday.
It will be a wet start to Monday morning as our next frontal system moves onshore. We will also see snow fall along our higher mountain peaks.
It will be a wet start to Monday morning as our next frontal system moves onshore. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Winds will also be gusty on Monday as the front passes through and will stay gusty into the afternoon.
Winds will also be gusty Monday as the front passes through and will stay gusty into the afternoon. (FOX Weather)
Temperatures on Monday will be slightly cooler with highs only in the low 60s again.
Temperatures Monday will be slightly cooler with highs only in the low 60s again.
Showers will linger into Tuesday with even a possible rumble of thunder. Spotty showers can’t be ruled out Wednesday, but skies will dry out through Thursday. A few showers are possible again Friday into the weekend, but overall conditions are looking drier and warmer than we have been seeing lately.
Showers will linger into Tuesday with even a possible rumble of thunder.
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