Lumen Field

Lumen Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is located in the city's SoDo neighborhood and serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), and Seattle Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The stadium can hold up to 68,740 spectators for NFL games and 37,722 for most MLS matches.

The stadium was built between 2000 and 2002 on the site of the Kingdome. It was originally called Seahawks Stadium, then renamed Qwest Field in 2004, and later became CenturyLink Field before receiving its current name, Lumen Field, in November 2020.

Fans of the Seattle Seahawks have set records for the loudest crowd roar at an outdoor stadium twice, in 2013 and 2014. The noise from the crowd has helped the team gain an advantage at home. The stadium was the first in the NFL to install a special artificial surface for playing.

Lumen Field has also hosted many important soccer events. It was the site of the MLS Cup in 2009 and 2019, and it will host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The stadium has been used for many other sports events over the years, making it a key part of Seattle's sports scene.

Funding

The Seattle Seahawks played their home games at the Kingdome from 1976 until 1999. In 1995, a plan was made to improve the Kingdome, but it did not succeed. This led the team's owner to consider moving the team. In 1997, local businessman Paul Allen offered to buy the team if a new stadium could be built. He asked the state to hold a vote to help pay for the new stadium.

The vote happened on June 17, 1997, and it passed. This allowed a partnership between the public and private groups to build the stadium. Paul Allen bought the Seahawks and formed a company to build and run the stadium. The total cost was $430 million, with money coming from both public and private sources. The public money included special lottery games, taxes on tickets and parking, and other tax arrangements.

In 1998, an agreement was made for the stadium to be leased for 30 years, with options to extend it longer. The agreement included details about ticket prices, working with nearby T-Mobile Park to avoid traffic problems, and other plans for the stadium.

Construction and layout

The stadium was designed by the architectural firm Ellerbe Becket together with Loschky, Marquardt and Nesholm Architects of Seattle. The design included special features to fit into a small space of just 30 acres. The upper levels were built out over the lower sections to improve views and fit more seats.

Lumen Field has a U-shape with an open north end that offers views of downtown Seattle. It includes special seating areas like the "Hawks' Nest" and field-level luxury suites. The stadium can hold up to 68,000 fans for most events, with extra seats available for special occasions.

The roof covers most of the seats but leaves the field open. It was painted white at first but later changed to blue. The stadium also has wide walkways and many television screens for fans to enjoy.

Surface

Lumen Field was planned to have natural grass, but they chose artificial turf instead. It was easier to take care of, especially because Seattle has a lot of rain. The first artificial turf was put in in 2002, and it was the first of its kind in the NFL. Over the years, the turf has been replaced several times to keep it safe for players.

Sometimes, when soccer games are played there, they use a temporary grass surface. But this has caused some problems. For example, in 2008, a soccer team from Brazil didn’t play as well as expected because of the loose grass. The turf has also been hard on players’ bodies, leading to discussions about replacing it more often. Both the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Sounders use the field, and they need to quickly change it between American football and soccer. They use a special paint that is easy to wash off, but sometimes, the field still has Seahawks logos when Sounders play.

Football

Seahawks

See also: Seattle Seahawks

Lumen Field became the home of the Seattle Seahawks in 2002. The team hoped the new stadium would help them become strong competitors. The first game there was in August 2002, and the first regular-season game was in September 2002. The Seahawks had their best seasons at the stadium in 2003 and 2012, reaching the playoffs both years. They also reached the playoffs in 2004 and 2006. The stadium is known for being very loud, which can make it hard for visiting teams to hear signals and communicate.

XFL

The Seattle Dragons of the XFL played their home games at Lumen Field in 2020 and 2023. The team drew large crowds before the league paused due to health concerns. They returned in 2023 and played their last game there in April.

College

Lumen Field has hosted college football games, including matches for the Washington Huskies and Washington State Cougars. The Huskies played some of their home games there while their usual stadium was being updated. The Cougars also played occasional games in Seattle to connect with fans and raise money for their program.

High school

Lumen Field is used for important high school football games, such as the Emerald City Kickoff Classic. These games feature top teams from Washington and other states, drawing large crowds. A special art display at the stadium honors high school football teams from across Washington.

Soccer

Lumen Field is made for soccer games. It follows special rules for soccer and has separate areas for the teams to get ready. The stadium has great spots for TV cameras to show the games. Many famous soccer teams have played there, like Manchester United, Barcelona, and Real Madrid. These games are very popular, and once, a match between Manchester United and Celtic had 66,772 fans!

Seattle hosted important soccer events too. In 2005 and 2009, games from the CONCACAF Gold Cup were played there. In 2013, the Gold Cup returned with Panama and Mexico playing. The stadium also held matches for the special Copa América Centenario in 2016.

In 2009, Seattle was the place where the MLS Cup happened, with Real Salt Lake winning against the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Sounders, Seattle’s team, played their first home game there in 2009 and have had many sold-out games since.

The Sounders have broken attendance records many times. In 2011, they had 67,052 fans when they played Manchester United. In 2019, they set a new record with 69,274 fans when they won the MLS Cup.

Lumen Field has also hosted big matches for the U.S. Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League. In 2022, the Sounders won a big match with 68,741 fans watching.

The Sounders and their fans are known for creating a loud and exciting atmosphere. In 2021, Seattle Reign FC played there, and in 2022, they moved in permanently. In 2023, they set a new record with 34,130 fans for a special game.

Lumen Field will host matches for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In 2026, it will be called “Seattle Stadium” for the games. It will also be a candidate to host matches for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Other events

Lumen Field has hosted many exciting events over the years. In 2005, it became the place for yearly Supercross races, which draw around 50,000 fans. In 2004, it held the first Major League Lacrosse game outside the East Coast. Famous speakers, like the 14th Dalai Lama, have also given talks there.

The stadium saw its biggest concerts in 2023. Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour drew 72,171 people on July 22, and Ed Sheeran’s The Mathematics Tour brought in even more, with 77,286 fans on August 26.

Lumen Field also played a part in the 2023 MLB All-Star Game activities nearby. It hosted the first two rounds of the Major League Baseball draft and had special areas for baseball activities and exhibits.

Event Center

The Lumen Field Event Center links to the stadium’s west plaza and includes halls, a conference room, and a walking area. It’s used for events before Seahawks and Mariners games and helps the local economy a lot.

The Event Center once had a theater called the WaMu Theater, which could be set up when needed. During the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Event Center was used as a place to help people who were sick. Later, it became a spot where many people could get health treatments each week. It was also used as a place for voting during elections.

Seismic experiments

During a football game on January 8, 2011, scientists recorded a big shake in the ground because of the loud cheering from fans. This was during a game played by the Seattle Seahawks, a football team. They called this shake the "Beast Quake" because of a player named Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch, who made an amazing play.

Scientists added more tools to measure these shakes during later games in 2014, 2015, and 2017. They wanted to practice putting these tools in quickly and see how well they could handle many people trying to visit their website at the same time. They recorded more shakes during exciting moments in these games.

In 2019, during a big soccer game, scientists also recorded shakes from fans cheering. They saw more shakes in 2022 during another important soccer match. In 2023, during concerts by Taylor Swift, they recorded shakes from fans dancing and cheering, as well as from the concert sound system. These shakes were like a small earthquake.

Facility contracts and naming rights

The stadium started as Seahawks Stadium. In June 2004, it was renamed Qwest Field after a company bought the naming rights. Later, in 2011, it became CenturyLink Field after another company took over. In 2019, it changed again to Lumen Field.

Fans and media often call it "The Clink". During some years, the playing field had sponsor names, like "The Xbox Pitch". In 2022, it became the "Emerald Queen Casino Pitch". The stadium also has special food like salmon sandwiches and local crafts beers. Different companies have provided food and drinks over the years.

Transportation

Lumen Field is close to several neighborhoods in Seattle, including Pioneer Square and the Industrial District. There are special plans to help people get to events without too much traffic.

The Link light rail has two stops near the stadium: Stadium station and International District/Chinatown station. Trains come often, making it easy to get there. Buses also stop nearby, and there are special train services on game days.

The stadium is easy to reach by car, located near big roads like Interstate 5 and Interstate 90. There are parking spaces, though some areas have been changed for new buildings.