Bengals fans have descended on SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for Super Bowl 56, turning up to cancel out the home-field advantage for the Rams.
Last year, the Super Bowl was in Tampa Bay and the Buccaneers used their home-field advantage to capture the Lombardi Trophy.
The Rams have accomplished the first part of the equation by making it to the Super Bowl in their home city. The Bengals are hoping to stand in the way of history repeating itself.
Fans from Cincinnati are doing their part to make sure the atmosphere in SoFi Stadium isn’t entirely favorable for the players from LA.
Bengals fans are making themselves heard at Super Bowl 56
When the Bengals took the field for warm-ups, fans started audible “Who Dey” chants to get in the mood for the action.
Matthew Stafford just ran out onto the field, this is his home stadium —and they didn’t even show it on the Jumbotron because they are the visitors.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) February 13, 2022
Nobody in the crowd cheered because they don’t know he’s out here. It was so strange.
Bengals have control of entertainment
Meanwhile, the Rams fans apparently missed Matthew Stafford making his way onto the field.
Lots of orange in the stands at SoFi Stadium, and a big roar just now as some Bengals players ran out onto the field for warmups. Now a "Who Dey" chant. Bengals fans have had themselves a fine time in sunny LA this week.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 13, 2022
Snagging Super Bowl tickets can be tricky but it’s pretty clear the Bengals are well represented for Sunday’s excitement. Instead of it being a Los Angeles-only event, plenty of Ohioans made the trek to enjoy the sun in California.
One way or another, one group of fans is going to leave SoFi disappointed. The other will get to paint Los Angeles orange or blue.
The Rams last won the Super Bowl in 1999. They’ve been back twice since, but they have come away without the trophy both times, including Super Bowl LIII against the Patriots three years ago.
The Bengals have also lost their last two trips to the Super Bowl, but those are the only ones in the history of the franchise.