The Seattle Seahawks announced today approval from the NFL to expand marketing and fan engagement efforts in Canada as part of the NFL’s International Home Marketing Area Initiative (IHMA).
 “We have a strong and long-standing relationship with Canadian football fans as our direct neighbours to the north,” said Chuck Arnold, President, Seattle Seahawks and First & Goal Inc. “For years they have been an incredible, passionate and supportive group and we’re thrilled with the opportunity to increase our engagement with them directly in Canada moving forward. We are grateful to the NFL for the opportunity.”
As part of the initiative, the Seahawks will invest in further engaging “12 North,” the team’s Canadian fan base. Starting in 2022, the team will begin hosting regular fan engagement events in Canada, and also has plans to launch community initiatives, localized partnerships, and establish flagship media partnerships to carry Seahawks preseason TV broadcasts and regular season radio broadcasts for Canadian fans to catch all the game action. The team will also aim to expand NFL Flag programs in Canada to grow flag football participation among local youth. To start, the Seahawks’ increased efforts will be largely focused in Western Canada, where the team already has a strong following in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The Seahawks will also work with the NFL to explore future opportunities to play a regular season game in Canada as part of the NFL’s new rotation of International Series games.
The Seahawks have historically had a strong Canadian fan base, including its current 3,300 Canadian Season Ticket Holders. Additionally, the team has averaged 13,300 single game tickets sold to Canadian buyers over the last several years. Former Canadian Seahawks players, including fan favorites TE Luke Willson and P Jon Ryan, both members of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLVIII-winning team, have also strengthened the team’s bond with Canadian fans. The Seahawks also have long had a strong international fan presence across the world, with large followings in Germany, South America, parts of Asia and beyond, and the organization will continue to explore opportunities to engage with 12s everywhere around the world.