49ers’ Super Bowl Practice Field – The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs, and they’ve chosen the UNLV facility in Las Vegas for their pre-game practices. However, there’s a bit of a hiccup – the quality of the practice field is causing some concerns.
Let’s break it down:
What’s the problem? 49ers’ Super Bowl Practice Field
The 49ers aren’t thrilled with the UNLV practice field. They prefer a field with a firmness rating of 70g, but the NFL-installed field, consisting of two natural grass fields on top of artificial turf, only measures 50g. The result is a “spongy” surface with visible seams, raising worries about the quality.
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Why not change the location?
Despite concerns, the 49ers decided not to make any drastic changes to their schedule or move practice elsewhere on short notice. Head coach Kyle Shanahan explained they’ll work with what they have.
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Is it a safety issue?
While the 49ers aren’t satisfied with the field’s firmness, it still meets NFL and NFLPA standards, which require the firmness to be below 100g. Players like George Kittle and Charvarius Ward downplay the issue, stating it’s not a significant problem for them.
What does the NFL say?
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the field, stating that experts and union representatives found it playable, even if softer than the team’s usual practice fields. This echoes the league’s assurance that the field meets all testing standards.
And the NFLPA?
NFLPA President JC Tretter sided with the 49ers, emphasizing that “playable” doesn’t equate to high quality. He expressed dissatisfaction with the field conditions and the need for high-quality surfaces for both playing and practicing.
Any concerns from the Chiefs?
The Chiefs, practicing at the Las Vegas Raiders’ facility, have not raised any complaints about their practice surface. Super Bowl LVIII will be played at Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders’ home arena, on a natural grass surface.
Will it impact the game?
The big question remains: will the 49ers’ discomfort with the practice field affect the Super Bowl outcome? While the team plans to continue practicing at UNLV, the impact of a 20g difference in field firmness remains to be seen. Regardless, the saga may continue beyond Super Bowl Sunday depending on how the game unfolds.