Mysterious drone flights have been in the news, but Seattle Seahawks show was planned tribute to fans
The drones arrived in Seattle over the Seahawks game at Lumen Field Sunday night — but they didn’t travel all the way from New Jersey.
The light show at halftime of the game against the Green Bay Packers featured a planned and choreographed drone show in honor of the 12s, the home team’s fan base. The Seahawks called it the first-ever NFL halftime drone show, and it came during a time of increased scrutiny over mysterious drone activity on the East Coast.
More than 500 drones assembled in sky-high formation in Seattle to show off the classic Seahawks logo, the Kingdome, a 12 jersey, Marshawn Lynch’s “Beast Quake” touchdown, the Legion of Boom, Richard Sherman’s famous tip against the 49ers, and more.
NBC “Sunday Night Football” announcer Mike Tirico made mention of the show when the broadcast returned to Lumen Field after halftime.
“I know drones have been in the news,” Tirico said. “This is a planned and a fabulous drone show here to help honor the 40th anniversary of the retirement of the number 12 by the Seahawks to honor their fans.” He called it a “classy, impressive performance.”
The first-ever NFL halftime drone show. #GoHawks x @safeway pic.twitter.com/ClV5BWKLpW
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 16, 2024
Drone flights of unknown origin have been sparking concern and conspiracy theories in New Jersey, where sightings have been happening around that state for a few weeks. Near Eugene, Ore., pilots reported seeing unidentified lights moving at extreme speed in an incident earlier this month.
The White House, working with senior officials from the FBI, Pentagon, FAA and other agencies, sought to assure people that the New Jersey drones are not a national security or public safety threat or the work of a malicious foreign actor, according to The Associated Press.
President-elect Donald Trump had his own theories about what’s going on, saying Monday “the government knows what’s happening” and “something strange is going on.”
Drone light shows have been a regular experience in recent years at sporting events and other public gatherings.
Here’s a time lapse from the Drone Show at halftime. It was amazing. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/ygujaF5Ewj
— Jowee (@ilovejowee) December 16, 2024
Sunday’s show was produced by Sky Elements, a Fort Worth, Texas-based company that has put on previous shows in Seattle. It was the company’s first NFL game.
“Almost all of our shows have some level of complexity and the Seahawks game was no different,” Sky Elements Vice President Kyle Pivnick said in an email to GeekWire, adding that there were a lot of logistical hurdles for legal approval of the show. “We approach each and every show as if we are on the world stage, and for the Seahawks game last night, it felt like we were in the pocket of our usual operations.”
The Seattle Mariners have had baseball-themed shows at T-Mobile Park. And the team was up in lights near the Space Needle during All Star Game festivities in 2023.
Drones have also become part of the New Year’s festivities at the Needle, as an added compliment to the annual fireworks show.
A drone show during Fourth of July celebrations south of Seattle near SeaTac, Wash., went awry this summer when 55 of 200 drones used in a light show descended into Angle Lake and sank.
Check out more photos from Sunday’s show:
