With a few recent Super Bowl appearances in the past few years, the Seattle Seahawks (our home NFL team) are all the rage at the moment. This unfortunately for football lovers has sent prices of regular season game tickets skyrocketing! There were several times last year where I debated going, and after looking at tickets felt my $600 could be better spent elsewhere… especially when that barely covers a pair of seats in the nosebleeds.
One fun alternative to a regular season game that less people think of is attending their training camp! This year, the Seahawks are running training at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC) in Renton from Sunday, July 30th and through Wednesday, August 16th. Though tickets sell out extremely fast, you can often get on Craigslist in the $25-$50 price range. I was lucky enough to have a friend offer me a pair last year that just happened to be on my day off, so I decided to mosey down with my daughter for a fun experience!
A few things I like about the training camp are:
- It is WAY more cost effective than taking the family to a regular season game.
- There are activities for kids – giveaways, bouncy castle, etc.
- It is much more intimate – you are right on the sidelines watching the players from the lawn, versus being distant up in the bleachers.
- You cannot drive directly to VMAC… you must park at the Renton Landing and take the official shuttle there. The meeting place is 911 C N. 10th Place; Renton, WA 98057
- The Seattle Seahawks game-day “Clear Bag” rule applies at VMAC as well; you cannot bring a large bag any longer.
- It is all lawn or standing room. Bring a blanket or folding chair to sit on unless you intend to stand
- Be on time to catch the shuttle! Since practice only runs for two hours, the shuttle will depart the Renton Landing for 45 minutes after practice begins. Better to arrive early so you can get a good seat on the lawn!
If you are interested in getting more answers to FAQ’s, you can check out the link to their website HERE. Have any of you Seattleites ever made the trip down to a practice at VMAC before? What was your experience like? I was a little concerned attending alone with my munchkin (a year and a half old at the time) would be a little much, but we both had a great time and I will surely do this with family again in the future!
Just an FYI – I am not sponsored by any of the products I promote.. these thoughts are completely my own, just for fun. However, I do participate in the Amazon affiliates program, so if you are inclined to shop through any of my links, I do get a little kick back. The cost is the same to you whether you shop through me or not, so I appreciate you using my links if you are in the mood to shop! ❤
Oh my goodness $600 for tickets? That’s crazy!x
Seattle is Amazing 🙂 xo
Looks great. Maybe one day I’ll make it back to Seattle for another visit. Was there July 4th, 2001.