The United States beat Paraguay 4-1 at new england patriots stadium SoFi Stadium on Friday night, and the field looked rich, lush and naturally green. George Kittle saw it and asked a question that cut straight to the point: "Wonder if we could get that all season."
SoFi Stadium and George Kittle
The grass surface was the real story inside the match. It showed what the venue could look like with grass instead of turf, and it gave Kittle a clean view of a surface he clearly wanted to see more often.
That reaction landed in the middle of a larger football argument that keeps resurfacing around the sport. The article says 92 percent of players prefer grass, and Giants offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor said, "I’m going into year 10, and I can say wholeheartedly that grass feels way better than turf."
Jerry Jones in Phoenix
Jerry Jones took a different line earlier this year at the annual meetings in Phoenix. He said, "We have more flexibility with the way we handle our surface at the stadium," and added, "We have no belief that it’s any safer to play on a grass [field] or a turf."
Jones also framed the financial side plainly: "The turf, actually like many things, improves the economics of being able to play this game and our players are the biggest benefactor of all." He said, "So I’m working for you, baby, OK, if you’re a player," before adding that he is "very comfortable putting some grass down for soccer under regulations and proud to be able to do it but quickly get that turf back out there to go about the other business of the stadium and the team."
That view fits the practical limits around SoFi Stadium. The article says grass costs too much to maintain at a high level and makes it harder to host other events at the venue, which is why Rams owner Stan Kroenke is not expected to embrace it.
Week 15 at SoFi
The U.S. game also gave 49ers fans a preview of the building where their team will play the Chargers in Week 15 on a Thursday night. This year, the 49ers will not make their annual visit to play the Rams because they will square off in Australia.
So the clean grass at SoFi came with a sharp contrast. It was on display for one World Cup match, but the stadium’s football future still points back to turf, economics and the NFL’s own statistical argument about injury rates. For Kittle, the field in Friday’s 4-1 win looked like a version of the venue he would not mind seeing again.
