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The 12th Man is a force all around Seattle

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Success has not made the 12th Man soft. A Super Bowl championship has just added more fuel to the already caffeinated fervor of Seattle Seahawks fans.

The Seahawks fans and the design of CenturyLink Field have given Seattle the most hostile and deafening home-field advantage in pro sports. The “12s” will be on display Sunday when the Seahawks host Denver in a Super Bowl rematch. The fans aren’t just loud, they are a driving economic force that stretches outside the stadium.

Want to launch a successful product? Put a ’12’ on it and put it on sale in the Seattle area.

Businesses through the upper left corner of the country are trying to capitalize the pride of the Seahawks fans. Whether it’s getting Russell Wilson to be the pitchman for the local airline, to alcoholic beverages with 12 in the name, companies are finding ways to capitalize on the Super Bowl champs.

“We had no idea what to expect when we first put it out,” said Adam Merkl, owner of Hilliard’s Beer that produces “The 12th Can” pale ale. “And I would say we have exceeded it.”

Merkl added that after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, one of his brewers, “said he’s waited his entire life for this moment, which is true for so many people here, so many fans. Not even just Seahawks fans but sports fans in general. That’s a big part.”

The Seahawks are the only team in the NFL to have a number retired specifically for their fans.

As Seattle’s success on the field has grown, reaching the pinnacle this past season with the first Super Bowl title in franchise history, the fan base has morphed. No longer are they overlooked, underappreciated supporters starving for national attention. They earned that recognition when New York became dotted with blue and green during Super Bowl week and then impacted the first play of the Super Bowl when Peyton Manning and center Manny Ramirez miscommunicated on the snap leading to a safety.

No longer is it the “12th Man” singular. Galvanized by the title and the massive response that followed, it’s now become “12s” the collective.

“Them fans don’t get lazy. They’re up and screaming the whole entire game regardless of what the score is,” Denver’s Chris Harris Jr. said. “I mean, you could see it in the Super Bowl. It seemed like an away game how loud they were. So, we know they’re going to be jumping, they’re going to be amped up for sure.”

There’s a reason Seattle jerseys hold five of the top 20 spots of the most popular sold. Even the No. 12 Fan jersey holds down the 10th spot on the list of league-wide sales, ahead of Marshawn Lynch, J.J. Watt and Cam Newton.

Need a 12-pack filled with craft beer and a 12 on the can? That can be found throughout the Northwest thanks to Merkl and his company.

Need a special edition 12 Starbucks card? Good luck. Those sold out within days of being put on sale.

Want blue and green running shoes that are 12th edition of the series? That’s entirely possible too.

And, of course, there are the “12” flags that dot neighborhood and businesses throughout the region.

“This year to date it’s 25 percent of our business,” said Kourtney Bailey, owner of Flags A’ Flying, the company that worked with the team to design the first 12th Man flags in 2002. “It’s really significant. Normally, Seahawks, a percent or two percent. … It’s pretty amazing. It’s a really big chunk of our business.

The proprietors of these products are all fans, for the most part, first and foremost. Hillard’s producing their “12th Can” was simply in response to a local radio station looking for a beer to represent the fans. It’s smart business for these companies, knowing their brethren fans are going to gobble up any product awash in dark blue and neon green, or emblazoned with a “12.”

Some of those fans are understandably new to the bandwagon. In the last four years, since coach Pete Carroll’s arrival and with the success that’s followed, being a Seahawks fan is now cool. Seattle sold out its season-ticket allotment of 63,000 along with the 12,000 spots on its season-ticket waitlist. Local TV ratings last season were up 77 percent from two years earlier

But the diehards remain: Mama Blue, and Mr. and Mrs. Seahawk, Kiltman and the Seahulk. They’ll be there again on Sunday, just as they were through the lean years in the Kingdome to now the being the envy of the NFL.

“Our crowd is always raucous and loud,” All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman said. “They always have some kind of way affecting the game so I’m sure they’ll be involved again.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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