Seahawks playoff game causing compromises, cancellations for local events

While there’s plenty of excitement about the Seahawks NFC Divisional playoff game Saturday night at CenturyLink Field, not everyone is thrilled with the timing.

With a 5:15 p.m. kickoff, the game conflicts with dozens of fundraisers, parties or other events, big and small, around the area. Some are scrambling to incorporate it into their event, while others are merely surrendering.

Close to 400 parents had signed up for the 2nd annual Surf and Turf dinner at Seattle’s Bishop Blanchet High School Saturday night.

Some have season tickets or got playoff tickets to Saturday’s game and opted out of the event. Director of development Craig Schaefer says organizers wanted to make sure others didn’t have to choose between the game and the fundraiser, which benefits the school’s athletic programs.

“We lost some families. And when we heard the playoff game was scheduled for Saturday, we just wanted to find the best way to complement the game to our dinner,” Schaefer says.

Luckily, the dinner and dance is being held in the gym, which just happens to have a big screen and cable hookup. So organizers adjusted the program and now plan to show the game, then do the raffle at halftime, and the other activities afterwards. The school has sent several notices to parents reassuring them they can watch the game and still attend.

“I just think you want to capture the spirit of Seattle,” he says.

KIRO Radio traffic reporter Kimi Kline had been planning a Saturday night birthday party for weeks, only to be told by a number of her friends they no longer could make it because of the game.

“I quickly learned my friends’ priorities,” she says.

After determining the party would be missing some key participants, she begrudgingly decided to postpone it for another week.

“It’s disappointing, especially since my enthusiasm for my birthday will have waned by next week. But I didn’t want my party to be a flop,” she says.

Some don’t have the option of postponing or piping the game into their event, so you can only imagine how many people will be huddled around cell phones Saturday night trying to keep up with the game, instead of paying attention to the wedding or dinner party they’re attending.

But some are making the game an integral part of their event. Listener Michelle tells KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Show she and her fiance have been planning for months to get married Saturday night.

Her daughter emailed her about 20 minutes after last weekend’s NFC Wild Card games to tell her the Hawks would be playing on her wedding night.

“You’re not going to believe it,” her daughter wrote.

With about 135 guests scheduled to attend, many of them Seahawks fans, Michelle says there was just one thing to do.

“We just said let’s just make it a big Seahawks party and have a lot of fun.”

They’re going all out. Her nephew plans to bring a big screen and projector to stream the game.

“We’re going to have the wedding, we’re going to eat and hten the game’s going to start, we’re going to have the DJ play music and we’re going to be dancing during the game,” she says. “I just really want to have fun and have a good time.”

Is she worried at all about her big day being overshadowed?

“To be honest, I think this is going to be even better,” she says.

If you can’t watch the game, you’re not totally out of luck. Sneak out to the car or bring your earbuds and tune in to all the play-by-play live on 710 ESPN Seattle or KIRO Radio 97.3 FM with Steve Raible and Warren Moon. Listeners in the Seattle-Tacoma area can stream the game live on their smartphones, tablets or computers.