Picture the final weeks of the NFL regular season, when every team is fighting so hard to get one of the top playoff seeds. The coaches push their players so hard and the fans cheer so loudly just in hopes of getting a home game, but is it as important as fans and announcers make it out to be?

     Take for example the NFL playoffs, where 14 teams make the playoffs with seven of them having home-field advantage in their first game. Teams want- and fight- for the chance to play on their home field for many reasons, such as more fans, familiarity with the field, and less travel. While those were good reasons a couple of years ago, they do not hold as much weight today.

     The idea of your fans being at the games is something that any athlete wants, the feeling of playing in front of your fans with them cheering on any touchdown, goal, three-pointer, and winner. But nowadays, there are still so many fans even if the game isn’t at home. Statistics from the 2021 NFL football season show that 25 percent of fans at games are rooting for the away team and that number is growing with each season. 

     Take for example the 2021 Rams vs. Chargers, where the away fans outweighed the home fans. Due to easier traveling, more and more fans are making trips to see their teams; also, the growing use of social media makes it so teams have fans all across the country. No matter if the away team is playing in their hometown or across the country, they’ll be playing in front of plenty of their fans.

     Another reason teams want to play at home is due to their familiarity with the field. Whether that might be due to the temperature, the sun, or just the overall conditions of that field, some teams do prefer playing at home. While yes, things like temperature and sun can be factors if say the Toronto Blue Jays are playing the Miami Marlins in Miami they won’t be as used to the warm, sunny weather that the Marlins are used to. 

     However, players, of all sports, spend so much of their season traveling to different conditions that they have seen everything. Also, more and more stadiums are putting in roofs which would take away some of those sun and weather advantages. 

     The last main reason teams strive for the home-field advantage is because of less travel time. Being at home means less time on buses and planes which, yes, is still an advantage to an extent; however, it’s not as much of an advantage as it used to be. Modes of transportation are getting faster and easier which means that players aren’t spending as much time on planes, and even when they do it’s nicer planes that make for an overall better experience.

     So while yes, there is still something to be said for fighting for home-field advantage, it’s not as big of a deal as it used to be. There’s even something to be said for being the away team. You have the opportunity to go on someone else’s turf and beat them, which is a great feeling.

     Overall, the idea of home-field advantage is not as important as it used to be due to easier travel for fans and players, the growing use of social media meaning fans everywhere, and players used to all different conditions. 

Mia Williams, Business Manager