Republic FC officials say grass will be greener at smaller Bonney Field - SacBee.com

Republic FC officials say grass will be greener at smaller Bonney Field - SacBee.com

Lots of interesting quotes in this article ...

“When I first went to Hughes Stadium, the first thing I said to Warren was, ‘You better not play on this field,’ ” Graham Smith said. “He looked at me. I think he had just done a deal with the college. I wasn’t being derogatory to the college.

“I was trying to tell Warren we don’t want to play on a (68)-yard-wide field with American football markings on it and an artificial field to boot. The stadium itself is no problem. But get a 75- to 80-yard field and the grass, and we’ll get going.”
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“It wasn’t just Graham,” Warren Smith said. “In all fairness, it was Major League Soccer. They would take us more seriously if we played on a full pitch.

“They have challenges selling the sport when people see American football lines. The style of play changes on a narrow field. We’re a control team. We have the ball most of the game, and that’s easier to do on a wider field.”
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And also this bit of trivia ...

According to team officials, it is the largest professional soccer pitch in the western United States, equaling the size of the MLS’ Colorado Rapids’ field.
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