INGLEWOOD -- Despite incredible on-field success that culminated in a 23-20 Super Bowl LVI win Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams have had a hard time creating a true home-field advantage at SoFi Stadium.
That trend continued against the Cincinnati Bengals even though the Rams were playing in their home stadium.
Super Bowl venues are deemed neutral sites with equal opportunities for both fanbases to purchase tickets. The past two Super Bowls, however, have been in one of the participating team's home stadium (Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium last season).
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Like this season’s NFC Championship Game, the Super Bowl LVI venue was dominated by the team that had a further distance to travel - A LOT further. Bengals fans traveled roughly 2,200 miles from Cincinnati to be in attendance at the final game of the 2021 NFL season at SoFi Stadium.
Ticket marketplace company Vivid Seats, which accurately forecasted 65 percent 49ers fans at the NFC Championship Game, forecasted 53 percent Bengals fans at Super Bowl LVI. At the start of the game their prediction appeared accurate with cheers during team introductions for Bengals quite a bit louder than those for the Rams.
The Faithful travel incredibly well and are completely happy to take over an opposing team's stadium. Being the longest tenured NFL team in California also helps keep their home stadium red, even without a winning record.
Can the Rams blame their fans for being lackadaisical in their loyalty? The club has only been back in the City of Angels for six seasons after 21 in St Louis. After more than 20 years without an NFL team in one of the biggest markets in the country, Los Angeles residents found other franchises to follow.
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Both the Raiders and Rams left Los Angeles after the 1994 season. The Raiders returned to Oakland and the Rams relocated to St. Louis, leaving Angelenos to commit themselves to other teams. Some became Cowboys fans, focusing their fandom on UCLA alum Troy Aikman. Many USC fans dedicated themselves to Pete Carroll when he became the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
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Many Los Angeles residents are 49ers fans with the Bay Area only an hour flight away. With over two decades devoid of NFL teams in Los Angeles, an entire generation has grown up without a local team to cheer for.
Expecting fans to change their allegiance back to a team that abandoned them decades ago is a challenge that will take some time overcome. After a Super Bowl win, devotion to the Rams might increase but expect to see opposing team’s jerseys in SoFi regardless.