Josh Mayers figured out the schedule for the CLink with the Huskies, Seahawks, and Sounders playing there this fall and it is packed. It is packed to the point that there are a few dates where I'm not sure how they are going to get the lines off for one code and on for another code. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2018003167_a_look_at_centurylink_fields_b.html Here's a The interesting stretches:
Hmmm...I don't think I realized how late MLS cup was going to be. That seems awfully late. Has there been any indication if the huskies and seahawks will use a sparsely colored field? In other words, will there not be the full seahawks or huskies designs in the end zones and other "stuff" on the field? That would probably make the transitions much easier.
What I've heard is that the Huskies will get the full purple and gold treatment if there's no Seahawks game the next day, otherwise they'll play with the Seahawks colors as there's not enough time with games on back-to-back days to transition the field. I think this relates mostly to the end zones.
Seahawks don't fully color the endzones since the Sounders came into MLS correct? I doubt UW would fully color the endzones if the Seahawks don't.
Hell, they are already in the process of flattening out the new turf http://www.supercrossonline.com/Events/2012/04/21/Seattle,_WA/
Yup.. Vancouver's field looked like it had a grid pattern worn into it in last nights game.. The KC announcers were also talking about how spongy it was.. Eek.
I can live with football lines. I did it for years before MLS came to town. Now, spending money on a new turf only to lay down plywood over it, pile on tons of dirt, and then drive on it with machines that weigh thousands of pounds a few months later? That is just foolish. I don't have anything against supercross per say, but I am a bit upset that they would do this on the new turf. I don't think there is anything going on at the Tacoma Dome this weekend...
I agree. I am a supercross/motocross fan. But I don't see why they would want to do this to the new turf. And even if they only want to run the race in Seattle and would refuse to run it Tacoma, why not do it earlier in the year at Safeco? They do the first 5 races in baseball stadiums on the west coast in January/early February. So why do they wait until April to do it in Seattle? They could also easily switch the San Diego date (which is in a stadium that's now only used for football, so it's not being used for anything important at the moment - a used car sale) with the Seattle date.
Maybe it's somewhat related to "we've been doing this for years at Qwest". A move to Safeco/Tacoma might've caused a slight change in the track/course. Maybe the riders have gotten used to the tracks at Qwest already. Maybe they don't know the gravity of playing in a brand new turf. Anyway, can any Husky here explain what's going to happen on Saturday?
The only thing I can think of is that contracts for this year were signed years ago. Maybe they are "locked in" to that facility for this event. I understand that the people running that facility want to make money, and these events bring in the cash. That said, maybe they start adding a fee to events like this and put that money away so it can help pay for the turf that these events no doubt shorten the lifespan of.
Do the field engineers/maintenance guys work with the motocross track guys to install something that is somehow mounted above, and not sitting directly on, the turf? I'm ok with a few lines now and then to help the Huskies get through their stadium rebuild. I expect they'd be ok w/ some soccer lines, too. Soccer side lines, which are minimal anyway, generally fall outside of the football field sidelines since football is a narrower field. Not sure of Clink's dimensions for soccer but I expect a soccer goal line would bisect a football end zone. So really, you're only talking about the center circle and the goal box lines. Anyway, from a taxpaying perspective, nice to see we're getting plenty of use out of that stadium.
The dirt isn't going to be right on top of the turf. I'd expect their to be at least a sheet of plastic between. Granted, Vancouver had something at BC Place prior to the last Whitecaps game, and whatever they had to protect the turf completely flattened it and the turf looked like it had a grid imprinted into it.
I am pretty sure that there is plastic and maybe some plywood. That said, dumping tons and tons of dirt onto it, and driving on it with giant front end loaders can't be good for the new turf. I has to flatten the "blades" of the turf in someway.