Levi’s Stadium turned the 49ers’ pleasant confines simply in time final season. The 49ers received their remaining 4 dwelling video games to make a push into the playoffs.
Would you imagine that’s their longest win streak of their eight seasons since shifting to Santa Clara?
Maybe making that stretch much more outstanding: The 49ers didn't win at dwelling for greater than a 12 months (393 days), till they beat the Rams final Nov. 15 in a Monday night time breakthrough.
“That’s how we count on to play right here and it’s been lengthy overdue,” coach Kyle Shanahan stated afterward.
It most likely felt like an eternity for followers who remembered the nice instances the 49ers loved at their earlier dwelling, the wind tunnel generally known as Candlestick Park. The 49ers received almost 70 % of the video games they ever performed there. They as soon as received 19 straight common season dwelling video games on the ‘Stick, a streak that started in December 1996 and didn’t finish till October 1999, a span of … 1,029 days.
“The Trustworthy has stayed devoted by ups and downs, and I’m pleased that we bought this one,” linebacker Fred Warner stated after final season’s breakthrough.
Most of the Trustworthy most likely do not forget that victories didn’t begin piling up at Candlestick in a single day, both. And Kezar Stadium, the 49ers’ unique dwelling, had its share of challenges.
After profitable their dwelling finale final season towards Houston, the 49ers prevailed on the highway in three elimination video games – the regular-season finale on the Los Angeles Rams, then playoff triumphs at Dallas and Inexperienced Bay – earlier than an NFC Championship Sport loss again in L.A. at SoFi Stadium.
Two years earlier, the 49ers received the NFC Championship Sport at dwelling.
All of which raises the query: Is home-field benefit taking root at Levi’s Stadium, which is coming into its ninth season because the Niners’ dwelling? Late-season momentum means that, however what about total?
Right here’s a have a look at the 49ers’ dwelling file since Levi’s Stadium opened:
2014: 4-4
2015: 4-4
2016: 1-7
2017: 3-5
2018: 4-4
2019: 6-2 (plus 2-0 in playoffs)
2020: 1-4 (0-3 within the remaining three dwelling video games that had been performed in Arizona due to Santa Clara County’s COVID-related well being ordinance.)
2021: 4-4
General: 27-34 in regular-season video games, 2-0 within the playoffs.
How does that evaluate to the 49ers’ earlier properties?
From 1946-1970 at Kezar Stadium, the 49ers’ common season file was 95-61-1, and so they had been 1-2 in playoff video games.
From 1971-2013 at Candlestick Park, the 49ers went 205-124-2 within the common season, with a playoff file of 20-7.
After the 49ers misplaced their first 4 dwelling video games final season, Levi’s ranked 73rd out of 76 stadiums in all-time home-field benefit since 1970. Then got here the four-game dwelling profitable streak to finish the common season that propelled the staff into the playoffs for the second time in three years. Because the 49ers reversed course, they had been touting their home-field expertise by season’s finish, together with followers’ approval.
“We noticed our highest fan survey scores that we’ve ever seen right here at Levi’s Stadium, and that’s a testomony to all of you (followers) serving to us work by the kinks as we opened this constructing again up,” 49ers president Al Guido stated on the state-of-the-franchise speak in June earlier than VIPs contained in the staff’s museum.
Massive moments and wins will assist construct Levi’s status, however so will time.
Kezar Stadium, constructed on the southeastern nook of Golden Gate Park within the Nineteen Twenties, was largely identified for its chilly climate, terrible sight traces, rowdy followers, undersized (however splinter-filled) seats and a severe lack of parking across the 59,000 seat stadium, the place Vikings defensive finish Jim Marshall infamously made his “fallacious manner run” to his personal finish zone towards the 49ers in 1964.
Nevertheless it was dwelling.
“On Sundays, driving by Golden Gate Park, you’d see hundreds of individuals strolling to the stadium,” the 49ers Museum quotes late 49ers quarterback Y. A. Tittle “You would really feel the power. The environment had been good. The followers could possibly be tough typically, and the seagulls may get annoying, however it was a lovely place to play.”
Candlestick wasn’t a lot better when it comes to the climate.
“There weren’t a complete lot of locations that had been worse,” Joe Montana as soon as stated.
It additionally turned the house subject for 5 Tremendous Bowl championship groups, 80 Professional Bowl gamers and 22 Corridor of Famers. The 49ers received 19 division titles there, and the ‘Stick hosted eight NFC championship video games. And, in fact, It's going to all the time be identified to 49ers followers because the place the place Dwight Clark made “The Catch” towards the Cowboys that despatched the staff to its first Tremendous Bowl.
And even earlier than Levi’s opened, 49ers greats understood the porch mild had been handed to the franchise’s new dwelling.
“I hate that 49ers received’t be taking part in on that subject the place all of the Tremendous Bowls had been received, however I completely perceive it,” Clark, who died in 2018, stated within the remaining days of the 49ers’ run at Candlestick. “The brand new place goes to be superior, and so they’ll be capable of make nice new historic moments there.”
The signature second at Levi’s was, initially, when Richard Sherman and Russell Wilson ate turkey after a 2014 Thanksgiving win by the rival Seahawks, however then got here the 2019 season’s NFC Championship Sport celebration, so it’s as if the stadium remains to be awaiting its marquee play. These come within the playoffs, and Levi’s has hosted solely two postseason video games (January 2020 wins over the Vikings and the Packers). So possibly that final thrill comes this January. Or possibly Trey Lance throws an 80-yard landing within the dwelling opener towards the Seahawks, now Wilson/Sherman-less.
Subsequent up? Know-how updates across the stadium, new sponsors and extra grand visions.
“We’re actually beginning to consider Levi’s 2.0 and what meaning,” Guido stated. “There will be renovations down the highway within the stadium that may improve the fan expertise.”
Waiting for Levi’s Stadium’s second decade of existence, enterprise can be booming, no matter how effectively the 49ers (and new quarterback Trey Lance) fare, and past the annual blare of concert events plus the 2026 World Cup.
Development is sizzling and heavy on an enormous mixed-use growth north of Levi’s Stadium. A 240-acre venture will function 9 million sq. ft, with almost a half-million sq. ft dedicated to eating places and leisure venues, amid 1,680 residential models, 700 resort rooms, workplace buildings (5.4 million sq. ft), park house and extra.
One patch of grass means essentially the most to the 49ers: the 8-year-old subject the place Tremendous Bowl desires can be rekindled this fall, beginning with a Week 2 dwelling opener towards the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 18.
Different dwelling dates: Oct. 3 (vs. Rams), Oct. 23 (vs. Chiefs), Nov. 13 (vs. Chargers), Nov. 27 (vs. Saints), Dec. 4 (vs. Dolphins), Dec. 11 (vs. Bucs), Dec. 24 (vs. Commanders) and Jan. 8 (vs. Cardinals).
“We’ve bought to maintain dwelling subject,” Guido added. “… I absolutely count on and hope you’re there once we open our dwelling schedule and also you’re there the remainder of the time.”