LOS ANGELES — It's a big narrative coming into Sunday's NFC Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
The game is in L.A. at SoFi Stadium, a venue where the Niners are 2-0 against the Rams. The most recent win for the Niners came just three weeks ago in Week 18 of the regular season when San Francisco needed to win in order to make the playoffs.
Highlighted in the 49ers' comeback win was the fact that the largest fanbase in the stadium that day was 49ers fans.
"It wasn't just Niners fans, it was mostly Niners fans," Locked On Rams podcast host Travis Rodgers said. "It was a very different thing. I think the players, the organization, the coaching staff and the people in this city took a little embarrassment by it, so I think they've been pushing really hard to try to get this squared away going into this game."
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There has been an increased effort among the fans and the organization in L.A. trying to get more Rams fans to the game. Even Matthew Stafford's wife Kelly Stafford said on social media she was buying out a bunch of tickets to give away to Rams fans.
"I don't know if there's going to be as many, I've heard estimates of 70% 49ers fans in Week 18, I have a feeling it's not going to be quite that much but even 50/50 for a lot of teams at home, they might not be used to that," Locked On 49ers podcast host Brian Peacock said.
Rodgers said he also expects attendance to be a little bit more balanced on Sunday, but even so, home teams in the playoffs aren't used to that type of atmosphere.
"I think if the Rams are being honest, 50/50, you might take it at this point. Everything I've seen, all the stories I've seen are that Niners fans are going to spend money," Rodgers said. "I don't think it's going to be like Week 18 because it was a regular season game, the Rams were already in the playoffs...I expect Rams fans to represent a lot better than they did last time, but I'm not going to pretend it's not going to be a lot of Niners fans because it will be."
The Rams and 49ers face off for a third time this season at SoFi Stadium on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. local time on FOX.
The 49ers took the two regular season matchups, and have defeated the Rams in their last six matchups overall.
A win would mean a Super Bowl appearance to take on the winners of Chiefs-Bengals.
San Francisco last made the Super Bowl two years ago, losing to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The Rams last went to the Super Bowl one year earlier, losing to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
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