Qwest Field Games

Originally called Seahawks Stadium, Qwest Field opened for events in 2001. The Seattle stadium cost $360 million, has seating for up to 72,000, and immediately became a prime venue for Pacific Northwest sporting games. Qwest Field features football and soccer events. It is the primary home for the National Football League's Seahawks and Major League Soccer's Sounders. It also hosts a variety of college and high school football games.

  1. Professional Football

    • The Seattle Seahawks of the NFL's NFC West have played their home games at Qwest Field since it opened. The team is known for drawing large, loud crowds to the stadium. In fact, during a 2011 playoff game at Qwest Field, the crowd got so loud that seismic activity was recorded during one of the game's key plays. The Seahawks play at least 10 games, including preseason, at Qwest Field every year.

    Soccer

    • The Seattle Sounders typically draw more than 30,000 fans per game at Qwest Field.

      In 2009, the Seattle Sounders joined the MLS and began playing professional soccer games at Qwest Field. For soccer, the field is 70 yards wide and 110 yards long. According the team's website, the Sounders, who are owned by comedian Drew Carey, have sold more season tickets than any other team in the MLS. About 22,000 season tickets were sold in the Sounders' inaugural season, and the team drew 66,848 for a home exhibition against FC Barcelona, setting the Washington state record for most fans at a soccer game.

    College Football

    • Qwest Field also is the site of college football games, including the 2011 Apple Cup between the University of Washington and Washington State University. The University of Washington's football team played the Air Force Academy at Qwest Field in 2005, and the team uses the stadium when its home home field, Husky Stadium, is unavailable due to renovations.

    High School Football

    • High school football teams also have the ability to play games at Qwest Field. The Best of the West Classic has featured some of the top teams in Washington and California, including Bellevue (Seattle) and De La Salle (Concord, Calif.). High school football enthusiasts in Washington can also enjoy "The State of Football." This exhibit at Qwest Field displays more than 300 helmets of Washington state high school football teams.