Explaining Home Team Advantage in College Football With Data Analytics!
A Tenable Explanation For Why Home Teams Have More Success Than Away Teams
Perhaps no phenomena are more closely statistically measured, tracked, and contested than sports. Yet despite all the attributes and measures, one statistical point remains, in part, a mystery: why does the home team enjoy an advantage?
There’s been no shortage of theoretical explanations, like how crowd noise disrupts the visiting team’s performance or how local referees sway calls in favor of the home team.
These theories make sense, but, to me, the explanation is more obvious and elemental. The home team is amped up to play in front of their crowd and defend their turf, translating to an early adrenaline rush that gives them an edge when talent levels are relatively even.
It makes sense at face value. Home team entrances are so high-energy that I once briefly confused the University Of Texas’ marching band for their football team. The brass section was doing calisthenics like Jerry Rice before a playoff game. How often does this happen when the visiting team’s marching band takes the field? College football stadiums are the modern-day Coliseum. Home teams are psychologically battle-ready in a way that visiting teams are…
