Seattle Shop's Website Crashes After Seahawks NFC Win

The celebration started the moment the final whistle blew, but for one Seattle shop, the party nearly broke the internet.

Simply Seattle, a local retailer known for its in-house sports designs, watched its website crash for the first time in company history as thousands of Seahawks fans rushed online after Sunday's NFC Championship win. Within hours of Seattle clinching its first conference title in more than a decade, orders were pouring in from across the country.

"The demand and the intensity that fans were on the site, shopping, ready to go. It was pretty incredible," said Jake Smidt, the company's vice president of product.

Inside Simply Seattle's warehouse, staff quickly shifted into championship mode. Boxes stacked up as orders printed and shipments prepared to head out, proving that Seattle's return to the Super Bowl means business in more ways than one.

The logistics of celebration require careful planning. Smidt and his team must decide how many shirts to print and how quickly they can produce them, all within the critical two-week window before Super Bowl LX kicks off February 8 at Levi's Stadium in California.

"When you work in the sports and merchandise business, you can't believe in jinxes, because you're always prepared for the inevitable," Smidt said.

Outside Lumen Field, fans like John Reed were showing off their new gear, voices still hoarse from Sunday's celebration. "My throat is still a little raw from yelling yesterday," Reed said, grinning through the pain.

The Ripple Effect

The championship win is creating waves throughout Seattle's economy. Local businesses are experiencing a surge in foot traffic and online orders, creating work for printers, shipping companies, and retail staff who are all riding the wave of hometown pride.

The enthusiasm extends beyond merchandise. Some lucky season ticket holders received lottery emails offering Super Bowl seats at face value for $950, though most fans will watch from home as resale tickets start at $6,700 on secondary markets.

Reed said he would have jumped at the lottery price but can't justify the markup. "At $7,000, I'm going to stay home," he said.

Still, the excitement remains undimmed. Fans say this win feels earned after facing what many consider the toughest playoff competition, and confidence is running high heading into the big game.

Seattle is celebrating not just a victory, but a decade-long journey back to football's biggest stage.