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Travel and the home advantage
1Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario, London.
Canadian Journal of Sport Sciences = Journal Canadien Des Sciences Du Sport
|March 1, 1992
Summary
Travel factors explain little of the home advantage in the National Hockey League (NHL). Visiting team success was negatively linked to time zone changes and preparation time, but positively to games played on the road.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
- Athletic Performance
Background:
- Home advantage is a well-documented phenomenon in sports.
- Travel is a significant factor influencing athlete performance and game outcomes.
- Understanding travel's impact is crucial for competitive balance in professional sports.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of various travel-related variables on visiting team success in the National Hockey League (NHL).
- To determine the predictive power of travel factors on game outcomes for visiting teams.
Main Methods:
- Multiple regression analysis was employed with game outcome as the dependent variable.
- Independent variables included time zone changes, travel distance, preparation time, time of season, and road trip specifics.
- Interactions between travel variables were also examined.
Main Results:
- Visiting team success showed a negative association with the interaction between number of time zones crossed and increased preparation time.
- Success was positively associated with the game number on the road trip.
- Travel-related factors explained only a small fraction of the variance in home advantage/visitor disadvantage.
Conclusions:
- Travel factors have a limited impact on explaining the home advantage in the NHL.
- Specific travel dynamics, like time zone changes and road trip length, have nuanced effects on visiting team performance.
- Further research may explore other non-travel related factors contributing to home advantage.