Does paying for tickets make you a bigger Seahawks fan?

The Seahawks are back this weekend, and tensions are high as they take on the Arizona Cardinals at CenturyLink Field Sunday. But there is both doubt and optimism as to whether the Hawks can pull off a win.

KIRO Radio’s Tom and Curley debated the odds, with Tom Tangney giving the team a six out of 10 chance to win. John Curley gave the Seahawks a four. This type of pessimism makes Curley nervous because die hard 12s will accuse him of not being a big enough fan.

Which begs the question: What makes a good Seahawks fan? And who is a better fan?

For Tom, the answer is easy: He is the better fan, because his emotions and time are invested more heavily.

Curley, of course, claims that he is the better fan. Why? Because he can pay to be.

Tom Tangney: A fan doesn’t mean that you see nothing but good for your team.

John Curley: I have probably spent close to $18,000 on tickets over the years. I’m not sitting at home blowing farts into a couch wearing Dockers. I’m getting in the car, driving down there, most likely in the rain, and I’m paying the $58 for parking. I’m going into the game and sitting there and being part of the experience. Primarily because of my kid. So when my kid, in 2009 or 2010, woke up to this thing called football, and became a huge fan, I wanted to have those experiences with him. So I went and got ripped off by scalpers, and ripped off by TicketHub, or bought them at auctions. I put the money down because I wanted to be there with my kid.

TT: I think that makes you a great dad, not necessarily a good fan. I find it interesting that you put a monetary value on your fandom. You’ve spent more money than I’ve ever spent going to football games. But I think I’m more of a fan because I religiously listen to every (Washington) Husky game when they’re on the road… because I care. Fans care. Just shelling out money, if you’ve got that money to spend, I don’t think that’s proof.

JC: If they charged you for the broadcast, if you had to put some skin in the game, how much would you pay? If they charged you $50, would you listen?

TT: Fans are not judged by monetary value. Time is money and I spend too much of my Saturdays following Husky football and my Sundays following Seahawks football. I remember, right after the Super Bowl, when we lost, you were done. You were like, “OK, it’s over.”

JC: No, no, no. I felt sad, too, but you were in the dumps for like a whole week.

TT: Exactly, because it means more to me. I think that makes me a better fan. It doesn’t make me a better person. It’s not about spending the money … a lot of fans are still not over that we lost that Super Bowl in the last play. That’s what I mean. It’s an emotional investment, not a financial investment.

JC: I can recall exactly the feeling I had, I know exactly where I was sitting when the pass was intercepted. That weird, dark pall that fell over the house. We all went for a walk as a family, and it was dark and cold out, and it hung like a death.

TT: That’s the fandom I’m talking about. Not that you shelled out $18,000.