Thursday 29 April 2021

Fútbol Club Santiago de Cuba of the Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba.

 

One other side effect from a switch of God's grass to the synthetic FieldTurf is that your Charlotte FC think tank has effectively taken their own stadium and city off the list at the USSF for future U.S. National Team matches. Considering that Charlotte is on the Eastern Seaboard for Euro league NT players to get to in the Octagonal and a city ripe for a year around destination for soccer matches, this move perhaps needs to be tabled for the first few seasons. I recall when Legion Field in Alabama would host U.S. National Team games in the early 2000's as the field was in terrific condition grass. Once Legion Field switched to FieldTurf circa 2008ish, I do not recall any USSF match there both men's or women's at any age level. So look to this Charlotte FC. Your O-Linemen might churn up the spine of the field by late October but those other two MLS matches at home in November are a backbreaker for the health of the field at your stadium for the rest of the NFL season right!

 

No, they are not eliminated, though unlikely with a similar facility like Nashville nearby.

They can always do the dreaded dead ball turf on top of plywood that they do at MetLife Stadium or in Seattle.

 

Understood. Not eliminated by the USSF.
However, how many WCQ has a Seattle or Portland hosted in the last 20 years. I mean Portland specifically as we all know what that city can deliver as that incredible 1997 Hex game versus the Ticos indicated! I ask as their city put on a tremendous show of support for Ramos, Cobi and that era of the team and due to that FieldTurf, has Portland been host to a return of the team since. Also, with so many new stadiums being built for new MLS teams or upgrading to a new facility like in Columbus, the list for host cities that do have grass is growing. So any new MLS club will be pissing in the wind if they want to switch to FieldTurf at a stadium they already own.

I think D.C. and their two stadiums is closer right. And there is Orlando's ground on the Eastern Seaboard as well.

 

Good thing they're building Protective Stadium here so we're back in the game! Oh wait, they're going turf there as well...even though they claim it's "pricier" than the other options like natural grass and hybrid *eyeroll*:

https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/...f,with option for sod over artificial surface

 

Good find.
In the title itself, there is the mention of laying of sod over the synthetic surface, which is a loaded statement. If the ground crew gets the sod laid in over the synthetic surface in good order and allows the grass to bind then perhaps it can pass muster for a 90 minute match. However, if the sod does not bind or if it rains heavily and dents the progress of the layer of sod binding then the field can be a real doozy! Wet sod and cleats are not friends.
Protective Life Stadium will have turf with option for sod over artificial surface
Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority Board Chairman Dennis Lathem...did not say how much the playing surface would cost or the types of events that would be played on sod, but the stadium is expected to hold World Games events in 2022 after the festivities were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
If there are to be multiple games played on a sod over synthetic surface than the grounds crew really must get the sod in place and up to par on all fronts.

And why did the folks that operate Legion Field feel the need to switch from grass to turf some years back? What events does Legion Field host over the course of a year that demanded a switch, more so now that the Iron Bowl is back to being at Tuscaloosa and Auburn home stadiums over the neutral venue that is Legion Field?

 

No idea, my guess is it's easier/cheaper to maintain throughout the year. Only thing I know of that still goes on over there is the Magic City Classic football game between Alabama A&M and Alabama State, but that's only once a year. They have a bowl game here as well, but they didn't do it last year and moving forward it's going to be at the new stadium.

I believe they used to do the high school state playoffs there, but that's since moved to other places like Tuscaloosa. Long story short, it needs to be demolished and something else put there...it's aging, in a not so great area of town and no parking.

 

Yes, DC is closer, but USSF is unlikely to put a meaningful match in FedEx Field which is too narrow.

I use Nashville due to their 60K size facility and ability to put down a wide field.

all the 20k-30K MLS stadiums are in a different class of facility.

 

Wasn't the timbers rumored to be switching to grass "soon" a few years back? Maybe the pandemic derailed those plans. Would make that almost a perfect mls stadium.

 

Is FedEx field narrow because Snyder added additional rows next to the sideline? I remember that stadium being used for the WWC.

 

That's what I was thinking when the dimensions were mentioned for FedEx Field and being too narrow. I thought on that and I recall President Clinton was at the game for our women's opening Group Stage match iirc so I am confident it was at least 75 x 110 yards to meet FIFA International Match standards.

For sure! Given the years that stadium has hosted the beautiful game, it would be the MLS version of a Fenway Park with all it's nooks and walls that end abruptly in its urban setting.

 

Fed Ex was on this list of potential 2026 WC host site, would make you think they can make it work.

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/wo...-cities-in-usa-mexico-and-canada-going-to-be/

 

FedEx Field is an awful venue for soccer. District of Columbia local government are pretty much holding all hope that a new football stadium happens before 2026.

If not, I could see M&T Stadium in Baltimore being picked instead.

 

So I remember a bunch of 'little issues' (underground river running under stadium, not a lot of sunlight, etc) none of which might have been an absolute dealbreaker, but it would be difficult.

One would think Snyder would be willing to rip some rows out to host, after all, Washington FT doesn't really need them any more with what they draw, but yes, I think most people suspect that is really a place-holder for if they get their deal together on RFK grounds in time for 2026 (one of the calculations involved in changing the name was that DC wasn't going to help with any stadium unless they did). But I think they're running out of time for that, the decisions will be made soon (looks like by the end of the year, from what I was able to gather from a quick googling).

 

That would be likely. Lincoln Financial Field is on the list for '26 but they have already stated that they would need to reconfigure the corners in order to fit the field for a World Cup. If Google Maps measurements are right the field is only about 65 to 67 yards wide if they used a 120 yard long field. FedEx is about the same at 120 but would likely need to lose a few rows further down the sidelines as the Linc bows out more around the sidelines than FedEx does.

 

As long as Portland State plays football there grass is a no go. If they were to be persuaded to play elsewhere…….

 

I thought PSU football moved their games to Hillsboro recently?

 

It is currently uncomfortably compliant and would require changes for a World Cup.

"The plan to widen the field came to light in a virtual presentation to FIFA last week touting the area’s bid to host a portion of the tournament. In it, the stadium’s width is listed at almost 70 yards, the minimum for a World Cup."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...would-require-removal-some-fedex-field-seats/

 

Please allow me to point out that there is a difference between being on a list of stadiums that have applied to host world cup games and being approved by FIFA to host world cup games.

First of course the USSF has to designate you as a host and then FIFA sends a couple planeloads of technical experts over and they examine each venue in excruciating detail. None of these things have happened and until.they do Snyder or anyone else is just farting in.the breeze