Why do teams fare so much better playing at home than on the road?
To even pose the question feels like sporting heresy, dumbly asking around about a phenomenon accepted as blind fact. Domination by home teams is something that just happens, like rush-hour congestion on Interstate 5 or the omnipresence of Kardashians.
But a rundown of the home-versus-away numbers in MLS remains jarring nonetheless, especially a league defined by parity and where environments aren’t always hostile. Entering this weekend, road teams are 23-65-35 in league play this season. Eight (!) of the 20 clubs are winless away from home this season, including the Sounders, with most of them more than a third of the way into the season.