Almost every team, in almost every sport, prefers to play at home. Playing in front of home fans, who travel and pay admission to see their team perform in person, should be a great honor and a great motivator. While it can compel the resident team to raise its game, with continuous prompting and cheers from loyal supporters, it can also fluster the opponent, who has to constantly encounter unforeseen obstacles that arise as a result of being in a relatively foreign environment. Familiarity with a stadium has a significant effect on an individual’s mental makeup. Being able to enter the home locker room, and know that you have your own locker, and then later running out on the same field that you know is yours, is a meaningful aspect of a game.
Why does UCLA's Jim Mora struggle at the Rose Bowl?
