As Seattleites plan their February, the calendar brings two heavy hitters: Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl. For couples across the city, that can mean a familiar standoff: romantic dinner reservations versus kickoff times. And in a place where Seahawks pride runs deep, those debates may be more intense than most. In fact, Washington was just ranked the second-worst state in the country for dating a sports fan, a distinction that may surprise no one who’s ever tried to plan a date on game day.
The ranking comes from a Hard Rock Bet survey of 2,000 sports fans nationwide, which explored how fandom impacts dating, relationships, and social lives. Washington landed at #2, just behind Idaho. Rounding out the top five were California, Oregon, and Minnesota—in that order—giving the Pacific Northwest a strong showing.
So why are sports fans in Washington difficult to date? According to the survey, loyalty plays a major role. Nearly half (46%) of Washington respondents said they wouldn’t date a fan of a rival team, calling it an outright dealbreaker. For many, team allegiance dictates their dating decisions.
The survey also revealed just how far fans are willing to go to catch a game. Additional statistics exposed Washington sports fans’ willingness to prioritize a game ahead of other activities such as sleep, dates, parties, and even a wedding.
In Washington:
- 21% would watch sports in the middle of a date
- 21% said they’d watch a game during a wedding (hopefully not their own)
- 25% would tune in at a party
- 29% would wake up in the middle of the night to catch a game
For Seattle couples, the takeaway is clear: love may be in the air this February, but sports loyalty is never far behind.