The successes of local teams are reviving business in the historic Pioneer Square neighborhood, and Seattle has officially become a candidate to regain an NBA franchise. Meanwhile the Seahawks face challenges after an expensive contract for a wide receiver.
How sporting victories are boosting business in Seattle’s historic district
There is an unusual buzz in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square. Owners of local shops, bars and restaurants watch with relief and optimism as streets that were recently empty fill up again. They directly attribute this economic uptick to the success of local sports teams — the Seattle Seahawks in American football and the Seattle Mariners in baseball — as well as to the upcoming large-scale event, the FIFA World Cup.
After a difficult pandemic period, which entrepreneurs describe as a time when the neighborhood resembled a “ghost town,” the situation has changed dramatically. Data from the Pioneer Square Alliance clearly show a sharp rise in visitor traffic. For example, during the hours around a Seahawks home playoff game in January this year, the neighborhood recorded more than 67,000 people. By comparison, on a typical January weekend last year there were only about 6,000 visitors for the entire day. That surge of activity has been a lifeline for local businesses.
Dani Conn, owner of the contemporary general store Cone & Steiner, who has worked in the neighborhood for over ten years, happily notes that after games there are lines and the store is packed. “It’s so great to see the neighborhood truly come alive again,” she says in a Yahoo News piece (https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/winning-teams-bring-business-boost-214050492.html). Similar sentiments are shared by Farshid Varamini, owner of the Gantry Public House pub. A steady stream of customers has allowed him not only to hire additional staff but also to consider expansion — he is opening a new location near Climate Pledge Arena, the home arena of the Seattle Kraken hockey club. “For me personally it feels like the good old days,” says Varamini, who has worked in the area since the era of the legendary Kingdome stadium, demolished in 2000.
Note: “Playoffs” in American sports are a series of knockout games after the regular season that determine the league champion. The Kingdome was a multipurpose stadium in Seattle where local teams played before modern arenas were built.
Importantly, sporting events also act as a cultural magnet, drawing people to the historic downtown area who might not otherwise visit. As Angela Nguyen, marketing and communications manager for the Pioneer Square Alliance, notes, games give visitors an opportunity to get to know the beautiful, historic neighborhood. This “getting acquainted” effect can have long-term benefits for tourism and small business growth.
Business owners’ optimism is further supported by future prospects. With the start of a new Mariners season, high attendance is expected to continue. But the main growth driver in the coming years will be Seattle’s preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States, Canada and Mexico will co-host. The world’s biggest sporting event will guarantee an unprecedented influx of fans and tourists from across the globe. Already, this is stimulating new businesses to open in Pioneer Square in anticipation of rising demand. Thus, on-field success is acting as a powerful catalyst for the economic and social recovery of an entire city neighborhood after the crisis.
Supersonics return: Seattle readies bid for a new NBA franchise
On Wednesday the National Basketball Association (NBA) took a long-awaited step: the league’s Board of Governors voted to begin exploring the possibility of expansion. This means Seattle and Las Vegas have officially become leading candidates for new teams. For Seattle, which lost its legendary team, the Seattle SuperSonics, in 2008, this is news many have awaited for nearly two decades. One Roof Sports and Entertainment, the group behind the success of the Seattle Kraken and the construction of Climate Pledge Arena, has already said it is ready to begin preparing a bid immediately.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver emphasized that Seattle and Las Vegas are seen as unique markets with histories of supporting basketball, but warned that expansion is not guaranteed. The league may add zero, one or two teams. Some current team owners are skeptical of expansion, arguing the league is stable with 30 teams and expressing concerns that adding franchises could “dilute” player talent. However, the process has begun, and potential owners must now submit convincing plans. Silver also noted in an interview with KOMO News (https://komonews.com/live/seattle-group-says-its-ready-to-bid-as-nba-opens-door-to-possible-new-franchises-basketball-adam-silver-supersonics-tod-leiweke-one-roof-sports-and-entertainment) that a principal owner is required to hold a 15% equity stake, and investment bankers can help assemble interested parties.
Seattle’s primary contender is One Roof Sports and Entertainment, led by Tod Leiweke. Their main advantage is an already-built and successfully operating Climate Pledge Arena, which they say is fully ready to host an NBA team. Leiweke stresses that their group “has been battle-tested,” having built the arena without additional taxpayer cost even amid rising expenses during the pandemic. Unlike other potential bidders who might rely on celebrity ownership, the Seattle group emphasizes stability, reliability and flawless execution. “If the NBA ultimately decides to expand, they will want to be sure everything is done well, with no drama, no misses, no mistakes,” Leiweke said. He declined to disclose financing details or the names of potential partners but confidently stated there are “no missing pieces” in their proposal and they are ready to act immediately. The plan includes not only the arena but also training facilities and an NBA G League team.
It’s important to understand what expansion and a franchise mean. Expansion in professional sports is the process of adding one or more new teams to a league. New owners pay the league a large expansion fee (in the NBA this can be several billion dollars), which is distributed among existing clubs as compensation for the “dilution” of revenues. A franchise is essentially the team as a business entity with the exclusive right to represent a city in the league. Bringing a team back to Seattle is not simply relocating an existing club but creating an entirely new organization from scratch, which makes infrastructure preparation, such as that by One Roof, critically important.
Beyond the business case, Leiweke sees the return of the NBA as an opportunity to revive civic pride in Seattle. He points to the passion of local fans who support the Seahawks, Sounders, Storm and Kraken, and promises that accessibility for families and young fans will be a priority, as it has been with the Kraken. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (note: if this is intended to reference the current mayor in the original, keep the referenced name as in the source) donned a Supersonics T-shirt to mark the news and called it a matter of city pride. In its statement One Roof shared the city’s excitement and willingness to work with the league to ensure the long-term, sustainable success of a future team. Thus, Seattle is approaching the opportunity to bring the NBA back for the first time in many years not empty-handed but with a ready arena, a proven management team and a clear plan, which significantly improves its chances against other bidders, including Las Vegas.
Jackson Smith-Njigba’s costly extension: Two main concerns for the Seattle Seahawks
Analyst Mike Salk acknowledges that the Seattle Seahawks did the right thing by signing a long-term extension with wide receiver Jackson Smith-Njigba (JSN). The player, who became the team’s most valuable offensive player last season and proved to be modest and effective, certainly earned the deal. However, beyond the joy of retaining a key player lie serious questions about the club’s future related to salary-cap management and draft strategy.
In his piece for Seattle Sports (https://sports.mynorthwest.com/nfl/seattle-seahawks/salk-seattle-seahawks-2-concerns-jsn-extension/1843761), Salk notes that even though the decision was correct, JSN’s contract is a very large sum. Combined with new deals for Rashid Shaheed, Jake Bobo and the restructuring of Cooper Kupp’s contract, the team has committed an astronomical $225 million to receivers just this year. For a team that wants to play balanced football, emphasizing the run game (last season the Seahawks ran the ball more than any other team in the league) and, in the analyst’s view, is still built around a strong defensive line, such spending at one position looks discordant. Salk supports and expects a significant extension for cornerback Devon Witherspoon as well, but urges the front office to ensure two key conditions for future success.
First, the analyst expresses serious concern about whether the team will have the financial resources under the salary cap to retain key defensive players in the next offseason — defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and linebacker Derek Hall. Salk emphasizes that the players in the interior defensive line and on the pass-rush edges are the foundation of the team’s present and future success, and money should go first where it is “really, really important.” Second, massive investments in star players put enormous pressure on the upcoming 2027 draft. The Seahawks have only four picks in this year’s draft, which is not considered strong, but in 2027 the team could have up to 12 picks in a promising class. If the club continues to spend heavily on cornerbacks, receivers, a quarterback and on extensions for offensive tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, the only way to balance the roster will be a successful draft. The team needs to “hit” on five or six players who can immediately become starters and play on cheap rookie contracts. Thus, the costly but deserved deal with JSN becomes not just a reward for the player but a strategic move that obliges the front office to plan flawlessly for years ahead to maintain the team’s competitiveness.
