Some say it’s because the games are early. Others say it’s because their friends are leaving, the hype dies down or they have a lot of work to do.
These are just some of the reasons that University of Maryland students found themselves leaving Maryland football’s game against Towson early last Saturday. And it wasn’t just then — empty bleachers were a common sight at SECU Stadium during the Terps’ first three games of the season.
Home field advantage is a commonly used phrase in the sports world. But is fan support at Maryland really more than a refreshing break from classes as students cheer beneath the unfurling of the Maryland flag, sing the “Maryland Fight Song” and relish in tailgating festivities?
Maryland sports psychology director Kristi Hall said it does. Teams win more often at home than away, according to Hall.
“With a packed stadium of a home crowd … that’s a major advantage,” Hall said.
The home team sees increased feelings of confidence, motivation and pride while the away team struggles with anxiety or distraction, Hall added.
Maryland football has consistently struggled with fan attendance. The program averaged 40,314 fans in 2023 — the second lowest home game attendance in the Big Ten. Last year, it dropped to 36,040.
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Maybe these statistics explain, in part, Maryland’s struggles at SECU Stadium. The Terps have amassed a 16-12 record at home in the past four years.
“Home court advantage is real, but it’s definitely not magic,” Hall said. “[Student absence] can certainly have an impact on them.”
Football is not the only sport where athlete performance depends on fan support. Athletes across various sports feel the effects of a crowd.
Ava Morales, women’s soccer midfielder, said she wants to represent herself and the fans when she plays. To men’s soccer midfielder Albi Ndrenika, the Terps’ student section provides energy to everyone on the field.
Volleyball coach Adam Hughes recalled Minnesota players wearing earplugs when playing Maryland in 2023 due to the loud and disorienting environment they faced at Xfinity Pavilion.
Even familiarity with the setting can enhance an athlete’s performance. The football team pumps sound into their practices the week before a road game to simulate the environment they’ll be performing in, according to Hall.
[Maryland women’s soccer needs a ‘near-perfect’ defense to succeed in Big Ten play]
The effects of travel also factor into athletic performance when playing away from home.
Field hockey player Ericka Morris-Adams said her legs are a bit more tired and she finds herself less mobile after traveling — but the Maryland athletic staff attempts to mitigate these effects the best they can.
Wrestler Braxton Brown said the coaches plan practices for them to “loosen back up,” whereas cross country and track athlete Rose Coats said they travel a day or two before meets so their legs don’t get stale.
Hall’s mental training plan for the athletes focuses on mindfulness and visualization to alleviate the stress associated with travel and potential performance anxiety that comes with hordes of opposing fans.
Hall predicts that home field advantage will still have leverage in the future. After all, as Ndrenika said, when you play a sport at Maryland, you have “five, six, seven thousand friends rather than fans.”
