Prime Time for Crime? A Multi-City Analysis of Sporting Events, Sports Venues, and Crime
Journal: CrimRxiv
Year: 2026

Objectives: This study examines the relationship between sporting events and crime near sports venues based on a sample of Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL) regular season games. Methods: Open crime data drawn from 21 U.S. cities were analyzed using a quasi-experimental design that compared differences in crime around venues hosting home games to venues whose teams play an away game, at the same time, from 2015 to 2023. Results: Within one kilometer of sports venues,