Stadium size, ticket allotments and home field advantage in college football

Abstract

This study builds on a conceptual framework that explores of the relationship between relative fan attendance, stadium size and home field advantage in college football. We extend the conceptual model by providing empirical estimates of the impact that various ticket allotment arrangements and home stadium size have on the probability of winning in college football. The Auburn–Alabama rivalry (the “Iron Bowl”) provides a unique case given that the series has been played both at a neutral site with an equal division of tickets, as well as on a home-and-home basis with an uneven ticket split and nonuniform stadium capacities.