The San Francisco 49ers are expressing discontent with the state of their practice field, believing it puts them at a disadvantage leading up to the Super Bowl. Currently stationed in Las Vegas, the team had planned to practice at UNLV in preparation for Super Bowl LVIII. However, concerns have arisen regarding the quality of the playing surface.
Sources have informed CBS Sports that 49ers staff members are dissatisfied with the condition of the field at UNLV, which was designated by the league as the practice location for the NFC champions this week. Allegedly, the NFL laid natural grass over UNLV’s turf, and the Niners’ personnel feel that the grass is too soft for effective practice sessions.
ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter shared on The Pat McAfee Show Monday that complaints have already been made about the presence of seams on the practice field, causing it to feel like walking on a sponge. Schefter further explained that the NFL has regulations in place requiring the Super Bowl practice fields to be inspected and meet standards by December. However, in this case, sod was laid just one week before the 49ers’ arrival.
Schefter stated, “I can confirm that the 49ers are displeased with the current practice conditions on the field, which is the league’s responsibility to maintain, and they believe it puts them at a disadvantage at this moment.”
In the meantime, the Kansas City Chiefs are utilizing the Las Vegas Raiders’ facility for their practice sessions, and their field is in satisfactory condition.
To assess the firmness of a field, the league employs a test called the “Clegg” test. For an NFL field to pass, it must register at or below 100g (units of gravity), with an average score typically falling in the mid- to high-70s. The Chiefs’ Super Bowl practice field has received a rating of 80, while the Niners claim theirs is in the 50s.
This situation is somewhat unexpected considering UNLV’s $35-million state-of-the-art football headquarters. Schefter pointed out that the university is essentially an “innocent bystander” in this matter, as the responsibility for the field lies with the NFL.
However, for the time being, this predicament belongs to the 49ers. They have a scheduled walk-through on Monday afternoon and will explore alternatives if necessary. This could involve acquiring firmer sod or negotiating with the league to share the Raiders’ facility with their opponent.