FanPost

The Home Field Advantage Debate

Editor's Note -- I added the poll, and the photo, to Nick's post because I have been wanting to discuss this as well an feel there is no need to re-invent the wheel.  Great job, Nick! -- TSG

There has been a lot of clamoring about Denver's inability to win at home.  What the heck happened to home field advantage?!  Has Shanahan lost his touch?  Is the new Mile High stadium not as good as the old Mile High?  Does the mile high altitude really make a difference? Do the fans just not care as much?  After looking at some statistics, there are some things that will not only surprise you about our home field advantage but hopefully will put this home field advantage debate to rest.

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The lack of noise at Invesco Field has more to do with engineering than passionate fans

via www.geoeye.com

 

 

Mile High Stadium was constructed in 1948.  The stadium, constructed for a paltry $500,000, was the home of numerous teams, including the Denver Broncos, until 2001.  The stadium itself is resembles a phoenix; it was constructed on the site of a landfill and when it was demolished, it become the foundation of INVESCO Field's parking lot. On October 1, 2000, Mile High Stadium's 76,273 attendees "sustained the world's loudest roar for 10 seconds, with a reading of 128.74 decibels, beating the previous world record by 3.34 decibels."

INVESCO Field at Mile High replaced the old Mile High Stadium officially on September 10, 2001 as the Denver Broncos defeated the New York Giants 31-20.  Times had definitely changed in the 53 years between construction of the two different stadiums; INVESCO Field was constructed for $364.2 million.

Since 2000, there has been an NFL ‘state of the art' stadium rebuilding craze - 10 stadiums have been rebuilt in the last 8 years.  And while $364 million seems to be a staggering number, INVESCO Field actually ranks towards the bottom of the list in total construction costs of these newly built stadiums:

"So enough with irrelevant stadium costs and capacity," you say; "What about the home field advantage?!" 

Denver Bronco Home Field Record at Mile High Stadium

Year

W-L

Avg

Year

W-L

Avg

Year

W-L

Avg

Year

W-L

Avg

Year

W-L

Avg

1960

2-5

.285

1970

3-4

.428

1980

4-4

.500

1990

4-4

.500

2000

6-2

.750

1961

2-5

.285

1971

2-5

.285

1981

8-0

1.00

1991

8-2

.800

 

 

 

1962

3-4

.428

1972

3-4

.428

1982

1-4

.200

1992

7-1

.875

 

 

 

1963

2-5

.285

1973

3-4

.428

1983

6-2

.750

1993

5-3

.625

 

 

 

1964

2-5

.285

1974

3-4

.428

1984

7-2

.777

1994

4-4

.500

 

 

 

1965

2-5

.285

1975

5-2

.714

1985

6-2

.750

1995

6-2

.750

 

 

 

1966

3-4

.428

1976

6-1

.857

1986

7-1

.875

1996

8-1

.888

 

 

 

1967

1-6

.142

1977

8-2

.800

1987

8-3

.727

1997

10-0

1.00

 

 

 

1968

3-4

.428

1978

6-2

.750

1988

6-2

.750

1998

10-0

1.00

 

 

 

1969

4-3

.571

1979

6-2

.750

1989

8-3

.727

1999

3-5

.375

 

 

 

The home record at Mile High Stadium, including the post season, stands at 197-123 or .615.  However, since the AFL-NFL merger, Denver's home record at Mile High Stadium stands at 173-77 or .692.  Since 1974, Denver's home record at Mile High Stands Stadium at 163-56 or .744.

Denver Bronco Home Field Record at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium

Year

W-L

Avg

2001

6-3

.666

2002

5-3

.625

2003

6-2

.750

2004

6-2

.750

2005

9-1

.900

2006

4-4

.500

2007

5-3

.625

2008 *Ongoing

3-3

.500

The home record at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium, including the post season, stands at 44-21 or .676.  In the last 3 years, the home record at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium stands at 12-10 or .545. 

Mike Shanahan's overall home record as the head coach of the Denver Broncos stands at 64-26 or .711.

Now that everyone is up to speed on the actual facts, it is time for the speculation and opinions.  Why has Denver's home field advantage been deteriorating?  Granted we have gone through this kind of home field slump before but it has been a long time.  Is it the influx of youth?  Has Shanahan lost his touch?  Did we skimp on the money on our new stadium?  Does Jay Cutler not know how to win at home?

I'll leave you all to your own speculations but I want to take the opportunity to post my own; this slump is due to youth.  I have stated in other posts and comments that this team is so young that the players are not career Broncos yet.  No one likes to lose, especially at home, but these young players have not been a part of Denver's home field advantage tradition.  They have to learn it and play with pride at home which they have not been doing.  And it will come as the players get more experience and the rivalries heat up for them personally - specifically it will come as the players learn what it feels like to lose at home and be boo'd and have fans leave the game early.  These players do not hate the Raiders, Chiefs, and Chargers like we do because they haven't been biased like we have been for as long.  But have faith, it will come and our home field dominance will return.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR.