Whether it be the Sounders beating Messi or the Mariners making a run at the World Series qualification, Seattle sports teams strive to win. Each Seattle team has its respective supporters, but which team is the most popular? Why do students enjoy one sport over the other? 

After a poll was issued to Liberty students asking the question of what sports team is the best, 31.6 percent nominated the Seattle Seahawks. In second, the Mariners are 28.9 percent and the Kraken come in third with 15.8 percent. 

History teacher at Liberty David Dingler, a long time fan of the Mariners, notes a shift in the popularity of sports teams.

“Growing up, it was all Mariners and Sonics, with the Seahawks as a distant third. The Mariners were good, and the Sonics had a good run that year before they left,” Dingler said.

He also attributes the popularity spikes of the Mariners and Seahawks to their recent successful seasons. Winning game after game, both teams make it closer to their respective playoffs.

“We had the best season we’ve ever had, as the team [Mariners] has never been in the World Series. The Seahawks worked hard this year as well. It was a fun watch,” Dingler said. 

In regards to sports in general, Liberty had a lot to say about what they prefer. Turning the tables, soccer is the top picked sport with 26.3 percent, football in second with 21.1 percent, and finally baseball with 18.4 percent. 

Liberty student Anna Padilha voted for soccer as her personal favorite and says her reason is the fun she has playing and watching it.

“I love soccer. I’ve been playing it since I was five years old. I love to watch the plays and then apply it to my own playing,” Padilha said.

 It isn’t just about the win, though, as many fans of sports care about a team’s sentimental value over success. About 40% of people in the survey filled out an anonymous response stating their reason for enjoying a certain sport or team with many attributing it to their family.

“I grew up going to Mariners games with my grandpa in the 90s, early 2000s. My boys love baseball, and it’s probably my fault because we watch every game,” Dingler said. 

As well as people caring about the teams and sports that their families love, Padilha suggests people’s personal backgrounds could change who they support. She talks about her family’s history and her choice of soccer.

“I love soccer because of its deep cultural ties,”  Padilha said.

The love she has for soccer is a deep one, as she rated herself an eight out of ten fan of the sport, one being impartial and ten being her favorite. The survey recorded an average of six out of ten, which makes Padilha a bigger fan than most. 

The survey showed that Liberty has a lot of diverse opinions when it comes to sports, and the students have many reasons to like what they do.