The 2023 season is nearing its end. The only game that remains is Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The two teams are both in Las Vegas already and are preparing for their chance to become (or stay) champions.
However, it wouldn’t be Super Bowl week without any drama. There’s been drama brewing about the practice field conditions between the Chiefs and 49ers. What’s the situation?
Practice Field Drama Ensues Between 49ers and Chiefs
Coming into the week, the two teams were split on where they would practice. The Chiefs practice at the Las Vegas Raiders ‘practice facility, while the 49ers practice at UNLV, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, though, the conditions of the practice fields are not the same. “I can tell you after talking to various people from the 49ers, they don’t seem particularly pleased with the practice field,” said Schefter on the Pat McAfee Show. “They’re gonna step on the field today, and we’ll see what the players say.”
The rumors first started swirling when Jonathan Jones of CBS reported that the 49ers were unhappy with the conditions. He reported that it wasn’t an issue with health and safety but was all preference. The field surface at UNLV reportedly meets all standards.
Jones added that the 49ers have three options. They can either deal with it, bring in new sod, or negotiate with the NFL to also practice at the Raiders’ practice facility. “There are seams on the practice field, and it feels like they’re practicing on a sponge surface,” said Schefter.
The Chiefs received the Raiders facility as opposed to the 49ers because of home-team designation. It rotates every year whether the AFC or NFC team receives home-field advantage, and in Super Bowl LVIII, the AFC team gets the honors.
The Chiefs practiced at Arizona State last year, as they were the visiting team. The Philadelphia Eagles, on the other hand, were the home team, practicing at the Arizona Cardinals’ practice facility.
Practice fields are assigned a score based on the quality of the field. Schefter shared that the Raiders’ facility is graded in the 80s, while the 49ers believe their field is graded in the 50s. “They feel like it’s a disadvantage,” said Schefter.
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“I think there are a couple of options that are being discussed. I think that the Niners would prefer to stay at UNLV,” said Schefter. “I think that the league may wind up offering that somehow they share practice times at the Raiders’ facility [where the Chiefs are].”
Field drama was also seen in Super Bowl LVII. While it wasn’t on the practice field, the conditions in State Farm Stadium were slippery and heavily criticized. Many Eagles players even claimed the Chiefs only won the Super Bowl due to the conditions.
Roger Goodell said at his press conference today that the league sent experts out to UNLV, and declared the fields “playable” despite the Niners’ protestations. https://t.co/xIp6KXaFtk
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 5, 2024
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