A big problem with the south sections (81-85) is that they are build right on top of the locker rooms and the front row is probably about 15 feet above the field. (The North end goes right down to the field, the side lines are about 6 feet about the ground.) I'd think the North stands would put us closer to the action.
I think that any team with a natural grass surface doesn't paint the lines during the offseason (Ex. Gillette Stadium). I think that with the fake grass they just leave it painted.
The picture that kenntomasch is using is old, that's actually the SportsGrass field from 1998 As for the lines, they're sewn into the field, I'm not sure what they do with them during soccer, as I haven't worked there since they put this field in, however they've always seemed very faint when they've shown highlights on TV.
I haven't watched one of their games since the FieldTurf went in, however, those lines (and numbers) aren't removeable. They're actually sewn in, not painted on. That being said, it wouldn't be hard to use a paint made for turf to dim them out, whether that's being done or not, I have no idea.
Yes the Blitzz FC have played with the football lines and numbers and have used the yellow lines for soccer. I'm sure it was a matter of cost that the Blitzz didn't bother with subduing the lines. I would think that with MLS now at the stadium that they'll subdue those lines until it gets closer to the football season. At least I hope they do. Go 1847 Utah SC!!!!!!
I have said this before, last year the Football lines were faded, and may have been painted over for the WNT match, and were not there at all, as in gale's photo at the top of the thread.
Other than empty seats RES is the best stadium in the USL and bigger and better than most in the MLS. The South stands are real soccer seats, steep sloped, and even bifocal guys like me can see all the action with out getting tennis neck. But it has been closed to all but ball kids and their manager. Field Turf: USEAGE is the word! Snow can be plowed off, and constant daily usage is possible. Have you checked on the per square yard for ground on Urban University campuses for football practice fields. Keep in mind grass does not grow in Utah untill about the 15 of April so what you play on is what was left from about the 15 of October for the first 4 weeks of the MLS schedual. A SSS in Utah should also look at Lacrosse and Rugby as co-tenants. Field Turf contracts/warrenty agreements restrict the kinds of paint that can be used to paint lines or to paint out the permenant lines, and they are very expensive to remove in labor and chemicals, so the University said no paint over this year. There is paint that is quickly removeable but unaproved by Field Turf. Utah is DRY! The U of U saved $100,000 in not watering RES. Perfect grass is nice but seldom stays that way.
Not as nice as LES but a good fit for soccer (REStad, some of us are open BYU fans). I hope it all works well together and they play there 2 years max.
Not as nice as LES? You're got to be joking. LES is big, and old. The ameneties are horrid, the press box isn't half as nice, the concessions (By BYU fans own admissions) are pathetic and overpriced. Honestly, what makes LES such a great place? The only thing it has over RES is number of seats.
REStad, (or anyone), I had a wacky idea, plagiarized from the 1994 World Cup games in Detroit. How about those removable trays of sod? There are several sod companies in Utah; maybe one of them could be The Official Sod Sponsor of Deportivo de Salt Lake? We'll just wheel the sod in on Saturday mornings & back out after the game.
I can't believe they are going to play on field turf, with football lines, no less. The solution is obvious.... Move SLC! obligatory smiley for the sarcasm impaired:
The trays are expensive, and, impossible to use in this situation. You'd have to have a place to keep roughly 120,000 square feet of turf, and there's no such place at Utah (We need our parking lot) The tray system, while a decent idea, has never been prefected for long term use, and, is of no interest to the University. (We looked into it before deciding on FieldTurf) The debate about field surface is rather comical here....having seen the horrible conditions that some of the natural fields are in, who cares about plastic...especially for a temporary stadium?
Scott Bales/YCJ shot the US Women/Ireland game there last year. http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2003/0614_usa_irl_sab.php
File this under 'bitter good-faith-2003-recollections of a Burn Fan.' or internet crackpot, I don't care. The more phone calls you make, the more probably you'll tend towards the former. The Chi. Fire had it in their Naperville contract that they could have the yard-lines etc. painted over 5 matches per season of their choice. source: phone call to Chi. game day operations man. iirc he volunteered a ballpark figure of $4,000 and to be honest I can't recall if that was 'paint-over' or 'paint-over and remove'. my hunch: both. It is a task but not as big a deal as the pointy-ball %^&%$#^&^%*@s (individuals) would have SLC believe. The FieldTurf at NY/NJ is blank and lines for each sport are painted on and removed to suit. iirc source: phone call w/FieldTurf in Montreal The Grounds Superintendent at Landsdowne Park in Ottawa, Canada told me by phone last year that they hosted a FIFA-approved tournament on the CFL team's FieldTurf there and used a latex paint from World Class Athletic Surfaces in Mississippi (Leland, MS iirc) to cover the permanent markings. The paint was removed with water, 'deck brushes' (?), and a grafitti-remover in about 2-3 worker-days of labor. (He had stencils templates of the yard-line numerals) He was happy with the results. (I remember asking him if the remover-stuff left a discoloration) As you, MLS SLC Seagulls, are 2nd priority tenants I predict that you might make some calls, like I did, corroborate what I'm saying, shoot down the false pointy-ball objections, and STILL get only special occasion paint-overs at best. hoping to be mistaken here Dallas got nothing, 2003. btw, I expect there to be minor inaccuracies above but also there are sources for info. start at 1-411 directory assistance REStad, Rocky J Squirrel, and all SLC people, The particularities of the RES installation, yes, may make some of my input irrelevant to your situation. Freddy Garcia Lives, Thanks for the info on the other thread. Unbelievable view!
IIRC, they made a couple of attempts to paint over the lines at Naperville, it didn't last long, didn't look that great, and was supposedly expensive. After a while, having lost enough money mollifying the NIMBYs who objected to the move in the first place, they said to heck with it.
Judging only from a photo of the Blitzz match with yard lines, and then comparing to the green backgrounds in Scott Bales action photos of USA vs Ireland women (see Yellow Card Journalism link two posts above) A) It would be worth it to paint over B) Someone at Rice-Eccles groundskeeping is EXPERT at that! no sarcasm! Hat's off! maybe gridiron lines are detectable from a higher viewing angle, but still, great job! I missed that match---it was on ESPN2, right? any opinions on the visuals, people who saw it? My darn hopes are back up! yes, kenntomasch, you had your pale-green grid at Cardinal Field, Naperville. [OT may young D.J. have a better game next time]
Yes, I remember. But it didn't last long. But what could you do? Everyone survived to tell the story.
