PSBJ: Seahawks’ Super Bowl appearance means big business for Seattle retailers

This story was originally published by the Puget Sound Business Journal on Jan. 27, 2026.

By Egan Ward

The Seattle Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl for the first time in 11 years. And, while the game will be played more than 800 miles away, Seattle retailers and restaurateurs are buckling up for a significant bump in business.

For the fanbases involved, the Super Bowl can inject millions into local economies.

When the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles met in last year’s Super Bowl, consumer spending hit an estimated $123.3 million in Kansas City and $346.8 million in Philadelphia, according to U.S. Chamber of Commerce data.

Win or lose, even the lead-up to the Super Bowl is paying off for some Seattle businesses.

“Given our location just steps from Lumen Field, Populus Seattle — and RailSpur overall — has emerged as a go-to home base for Seahawks fans,” said Juriana Spierenburg, Populus Seattle hotel manager. “The hotel has been sold out over the past two playoff weekends, and our rooftop bar, Firn, has also seen a huge boost in business with both locals and travelers gathering for celebratory post-game drinks.”

Businesses across industries will likely get a boost, particularly those already built around sports. Simply Seattle, the self-described “one-stop shop for everything Seattle sports,” is among them.

Owner and CEO Jamie Munson said playoff runs can multiply sales sevenfold, with a Super Bowl appearance projected to bring sales up to 10 times the norm. A Super Bowl victory, he said, could boost sales by as much as 20 times for a short period.

“I always say winning sells,” Munson said. “It attracts people to visit the city. It attracts them to spend money on the merchandise, to go out to dinner. It’s like the whole community wins when a team is winning.”

Munson said Simply Seattle — which operates stores in downtown Seattle and the Seattle waterfront — sees about 60% of its sales from its brick-and-mortar locations. He said the Jan. 17 game against the San Francisco 49ers was the busiest day the downtown Seattle location had seen in the past year.

For merchandisers looking to cash in on the Seahawks fervor, preparation is everything.

Inventory orders for playoff and Super Bowl merchandise are handled through “if-win” purchase orders, but the work with vendors starts as early as possible, sometimes months in advance. Munson said he avoids ordering mass quantities of championship gear before victory to reduce the risk of wasted product.

Consumer spending at bars, restaurants and merchandisers is certainly pronounced, though the trickle-down effect of spending is real. Jason Cooney, regional operating partner at Tom’s Watch Bar, said that business-to-business spending will be just as important.

“I think it will be a huge boost to everybody — from DJs we put on staff, to security we employ, to the amount of product we buy — I think there’s a ripple all the way down,” Cooney said.

Seattle’s restaurateurs should be well versed in the frenzied business a playoff run can deliver. During the Mariners’ postseason run last fall, DeLeo’s Pizza in Pioneer Square reported 200% to 300% sales increases during Mariners playoff games. But for others, it was business as usual.

“Capacity is capacity, we can only fit so many people,” Sluggers co-owner Shane Quinn said at the time. “It doesn’t change much for us.”

The Mariners played six home playoff games, averaging 47,000 fans at T-Mobile Park last October. Conversely, the Super Bowl is a one-day viewing experience, which means the influx of fans isn’t necessarily concentrated around the stadium.

Tom’s, the sports bar outside Climate Pledge Arena in Queen Anne, has a capacity of around 1,300. Cooney said the bar has reached its capacity for each Seahawks playoff game this year. The last time that happened was during the NCAA March Madness games at the arena in 2025. He said the bar has staffed around 70 employees for game days, double the staff for a Kraken game.

“What it’s really all about is capitalizing on the excitement of sports fans,” Cooney said. “We always say that we can’t think of anywhere in public that strangers celebrate together like we see in our building. That’s what our brand is all about — creating an environment to be able to celebrate your favorite team together.”

For Seattle, it’s another infusion of fandom before hundreds of thousands descend on the city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“A Seahawks march to the Super Bowl just months after the Mariners made a postseason run helps generate a continued sense of optimism and community,” said Downtown Seattle Association President and CEO Jon Scholes in an email. “The civic pride extends beyond the playing field and has the potential to drive, on some level, a positive reputational jolt.”