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SANTA CLARA (KCBS) Crews at Levis Stadium begantearing up the grass on the new field Thursday morning after turf problems Wednesday prompted the team to relocate a practice session to the teams training facility because of the slippery sod.

The 49ers are replacing the sod after just one preseason game at the newly-opened $1.3 billion facilityand just three days ahead of their second preseason game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.The team issued a statement Wednesday saying the field will be playable for Sundays game against theChargers.

It appeared the portion to be replaced will be limitied to the area between the football hashmarks and the goal lines.

The Levis Stadium field will be getting a lot of workahead of the 49ers first regular season home game on September 14 against the Chicago Bears. On August 29th, there will be two high school football games on the field and on September 8 Mexico will face Chile in an exhibition soccer match.

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On Wednesday, head coach Jim Harbaugh abruptly stopped practice and pulled the team from the new field after a wide receiver lost his footing and fell hard running a pass route on uneven turf.

The sod laid in April still hasnt taken rootdespite assurances in spring from West Coast Turf that this new blend of Bermuda grass would be great for football.

In April, spokesman Greg Dunn promised there would be more than adequate time for the new blend of Bermuda grass known as Bandera Bermuda to grow properly and be ready for play when the stadium opened.

Read the rest here:
49ers Tear Out Slippery Sod At Levis Stadium Ahead Of Sunday Game

Get Breaking News First

Receive News, Politics, and Entertainment Headlines Each Morning.

SANTA CLARA (KCBS) Crews at Levis Stadium begantearing up the grass on the new field Thursday morning after turf problems Wednesday prompted the team to relocate a practice session to the teams training facility because of the slippery sod.

The 49ers are replacing the sod after just one preseason game at the newly-opened $1.3 billion facilityand just three days ahead of their second preseason game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.The team issued a statement Wednesday saying the field will be playable for Sundays game against theChargers.

It appeared the portion to be replaced will be limitied to the area between the football hashmarks and the goal lines.

The Levis Stadium field will be getting a lot of workahead of the 49ers first regular season home game on September 14 against the Chicago Bears. On August 29th, there will be two high school football games on the field and on September 8 Mexico will face Chile in an exhibition soccer match.

READ MORE

On Wednesday, head coach Jim Harbaugh abruptly stopped practice and pulled the team from the new field after a wide receiver lost his footing and fell hard running a pass route on uneven turf.

The sod laid in April still hasnt taken rootdespite assurances in spring from West Coast Turf that this new blend of Bermuda grass would be great for football.

In April, spokesman Greg Dunn promised there would be more than adequate time for the new blend of Bermuda grass known as Bandera Bermuda to grow properly and be ready for play when the stadium opened.

Excerpt from:
49ers Replacing Slippery Sod At Levis Stadium Ahead Of Sunday Exhibition Game Against Chargers

SANTA CLARA -- When the 49ers were getting ready to open their immaculate new $1.3 billion stadium, coach Jim Harbaugh compared the team's new field to the fairways at the famed golf course where the Masters is played. The team and its partners billed the new grass as a super-resistant strain capable of withstanding the pounding of 300-pound lineman, saying divots would be "virtually nonexistent."

But as it turns out, the $1.4 million playing field installed four months ago could not even withstand its first week of NFL football.

The team ripped up the grass running down the middle of the stadium and began installing a new playing surface on Thursday, a day after Harbaugh cut short a public practice at the stadium, disappointing 10,000 fans in attendance.

The field was beat up -- with some players falling Wednesday -- following the Niners first game at the stadium three days prior, a preseason exhibition against the Denver Broncos. The team apologized to fans who made the trip to the training camp session and said the field would be ready for Sunday's preseason game against the San Diego Chargers, but declined to comment further.

"That shouldn't happen. One game shouldn't have caused it to fall apart," said Kevin Morris, executive director of the National Turf Grass Evaluation Program, a leading nonprofit that tests grasses. "It's a problem for the team for sure."

The thick-cut sod the team is installing is meant as a temporary fix. It is used occasionally at other sports stadiums that are beat up at the end of a season, or following a concert, but cannot generate the deep roots needed for the field to withstand a beating long term.

It's unclear how the team will sod the field for its regular-season opener, a Sept. 14 primetime game against the Chicago Bears on national TV, or if the sand base contributed to the issues.

It's not the first problem with the field. Last month, trucks carrying heavy equipment for a black-tie VIP gala featuring a John Legend concert damaged part of the area near the south end zone. At the time, Niners executives brushed off the damage and said it would be fixed quickly. But this week, more than a month after the concert, there was still a large brown stain behind and inside part of the end zone.

On Wednesday, fans at the third and final free Levi's Stadium practice were confused when it was called off 45 minutes in, after wide receivers Stevie Johnson and Bruce Ellington and several other players slipped and created new divots. Coaches had been digging into the divots that had been replaced on the field with patches of sod, and team executives huddled on the field to examine its condition, which some fans weren't exactly impressed with.

"Once we sat down in our seats, I kind of chuckled -- look at this great stadium, and the money spent, and look how crappy the field is," said Rick Randall, 48, of Manteca, who was at Wednesday's practice. "I was kind of expecting nice, green lush grass. It didn't look much better than Candlestick."

See the original post:
49ers sparkling new Levi's Stadium sees field fail, new grass goes in

The 49ers are going to have some dirt and grass stains on their brand new Levis, as theyre already replacing the sod in their state-of-the-art stadium.

After one concert, a soccer match and one preseason NFL game, the field was already in such dire shape the 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh pulled his team off the field last night during a practice.

According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, crews were at work this morning stripping up the old sod to put in new, in advance of the next game there Sunday.

The previous grass was installed in April, and didnt root down well enough to keep multiple players from slipping and sod to come up in chunks at last nights public practice.

The 49ers issued a statement Wednesday night saying the team haddetermined the appropriate measures necessary to have the field ready for Sunday and look forward to hosting the San Diego Chargers.

They have more than that on tap, as two high school games are schedule there on Aug. 29, followed by a soccer match between Mexico and Chile on Sept. 6 before the regular season opener against the Bears on Sept. 14.

Such quick turnarounds for sod arent uncommon, but its still a dramatic blemish for abrand-new building.

Photo credit: KNTV

Excerpt from:
49ers already replacing the sod in their new stadium

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Receive News, Politics, and Entertainment Headlines Each Morning.

SANTA CLARA (KCBS) Crews at Levis Stadium begantearing up the grass on the new field Thursday morning after turf problems Wednesday prompted the team to relocate a practice session to the teams training facility because of the slippery sod.

The 49ers are replacing the sod after just one preseason game at the newly-opened $1.3 billion facilityand just three days ahead of their second preseason game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.The team issued a statement Wednesday saying the field will be playable for Sundays game against theChargers.

It appeared the portion to be replaced will be limitied to the area between the football hashmarks and the goal lines.

The Levis Stadium field will be getting a lot of workahead of the 49ers first regular season home game on September 14 against the Chicago Bears. On August 29th, there will be two high school football games on the field and on September 8 Mexico will face Chile in an exhibition soccer match.

READ MORE

On Wednesday, head coach Jim Harbaugh abruptly stopped practice and pulled the team from the new field after a wide receiver lost his footing and fell hard running a pass route on uneven turf.

The sod laid in April still hasnt taken rootdespite assurances in spring from West Coast Turf that this new blend of Bermuda grass would be great for football.

In April, spokesman Greg Dunn promised there would be more than adequate time for the new blend of Bermuda grass known as Bandera Bermuda to grow properly and be ready for play when the stadium opened.

Read more here:
Slippery Sod At Levis Stadium Forces 49ers To Relocate Practice

Updated AUG 21, 2014 3:59p ET

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- The San Francisco 49ers were working to re-sod the field at new Levi's Stadium on Thursday, a day after a public workout was cut short and moved to the regular practice fields because players were slipping.

San Francisco hosts the San Diego Chargers at the $1.2 billion stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. PDT, and the team has said it expects to have the field ready in time. KTVU's news chopper showed images of the sod replacement in some areas of the turf Thursday.

"The 49ers organization would like to apologize to any fans who were inconvenienced by today's practice ending early," the team said Wednesday. "We have determined the appropriate measures necessary to have the field ready for Sunday and look forward to hosting the San Diego Chargers."

Coach Jim Harbaugh moved his team out of the stadium Wednesday about an hour into the practice.

"It's a beautiful field for a first-year field," veteran placekicker Phil Dawson said this week. "Those guys are working their brains out to get that thing ready."

Dawson missed wide right on first-half field goal attempts from 55 and 44 yards in Sunday's 34-0 loss to the Denver Broncos. He said there are always adjustments with new grass. The field looked dry in places and chunks of sod could be seen missing in places where it apparently didn't root properly.

"We're all kind of in foreign territory here and learning as we go," Dawson said. "There were a lot of new experiences, not just wind but the footing on the field. It's the first time the big boys have been out there and trudging around and seeing how the field held up. There's a whole lot going on all at once. ... If your technique requires a six-inch step and your six-inch step goes in a divot or something like that, it can affect things. That's not unique to fields we play on. I have pretty good experience playing on fields that are less than ideal, so I'll just have to draw on those experiences."

San Francisco's regular-season home opener is a Sept. 14 prime-time matchup against Chicago. The 49ers are scoreless in their last seven quarters and have been outscored 57-3 this preseason. They lost 23-3 at Baltimore on Aug. 7.

West Coast Turf has provided the 49ers' sod at both Candlestick Park and Levi's Stadium. It is not unheard of around the league for teams to re-sod fields midweek or in short order, for example between a college bowl game and NFL game.

Read more:
Already? Loose sod at new Levi's Stadium being removed

Coach Jim Harbaugh cut short the 49ers final public practice at Levis Stadium on Wednesday after divots kept coming up and players such as Stevie Johnson perilously lost footing on the 4-month-old sod.

Johnson wiped out making a cut near the north end zone, and after one more play, Harbaugh led his team off the torn-up field, which is scheduled to host Sundays nationally televised exhibition against the San Diego Chargers.

The 49ers headed to finish practice on their normal training fields behind the adjacent headquarters.

It was the 49ers third practice inside their new $1.3 billion stadium, and one of the consolations offered to the 10,000 fans was free entry into the teams on-site museum.

The field conditions had team officials concerned from the start of practice. Team president Paraag Marathe, COO Al Guido and general manager Trent Baalke huddled with heads groundskeeper Matthew Greiner as practice unfolded.

Players repeatedly tried patting back down their divots, which often came up by pass rushers and linemen.

On Tuesday, the grounds crew replaced several patches of sod, in 1-foot-by-3-foot segments, throughout the field.

Livingston-based West Coast Turf began installing the 2.5 acres of Bermuda Bandera sod on April 17. That type of grass was heralded for its ability to withstand heavy use in variable climates with the need for 50 percent less water than the average turf.

Read the rest here:
Sod story: 49ers cut short practice after Levi s Stadium grass looks hazardous

Sarasota, FL (PRWEB) August 19, 2014

With recent shifts in technology, ecology and logistics, Harmony Brands, LLC is laying the groundwork for a more streamlined and simplified approach to outdoor living. Leading this evolution is Harmony Outdoor Brands, LLC, with industry veteran and new CEO Jim Doyle at the helm.

Growers unite to form new company

Two of the nations top sod producers in the U.S. Bethel Farms, LLLP and BuySod, Inc. , consolidated earlier this year to do business as Harmony Outdoor Brands, LLC. From the new headquarters in Sarasota, FL, the companys network of top-tier growers has more than 10,000 acres of turfgrass under production in 48 states. The merger makes Harmony Brands the largest supplier of retail sod nationwide, distributed through all major home improvement retailers. This "farm-to-yard" service model will provide premium turfgrass, home delivery as well as professional installation services.

Managing this evolution is CEO Jim Doyle, who joined Harmony Brands in June 2014. A well regarded consumer-focused leader, Doyle was previously Chief Marketing Officer and General Manager, at Central Garden & Pet, the countrys second largest lawn and garden business.

It is a truly exciting time for Harmony as it follows the integration of Bethel Farms and Buy Sod. The company now has a national distribution footprint. This makes Harmony a single destination point for all of our retail customers. It also provides a trusted brand name that consumers can easily recognize and rely upon. This will be key as we further build out our strategy on a national scale, he remarked.

I am truly excited to be able to contribute my expertise in business integration to make this phase a remarkable transformational time for Harmony Brands. The leadership needs of the company perfectly align with the experience I bring to the table. In addition, the company's culture and 'customer first' philosophy align precisely with my own guiding principles.

Outdoor living made even easier

Until now, consumers had no single nationwide source to buy, deliver and install their lawns. They were left on their own to research the best sod varieties for their growing zone, arrange for home delivery, and then install their own sod or try to locate professional installers.

In contrast, Harmonys farm-to-yard model is an ongoing collaboration with the local farm, off-site production managers, retailers and consumers. It starts with having a line of best-in-class grass varieties that are grown specific to each region of the country. Each retailer offers the Harmony turfgrass that is best suited for that particular zone. In addition to being sold at national home improvement chains, Harmony turfgrass is available for home delivery by visiting the store's pro desk or ordering through the retailer's websites.

View post:
Harmony Outdoor Brands, Nation's Largest Supplier of Retail Sod Grasses, Appoints New CEO

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SAN RAMON (CBS SF) An East Bay homeowner is in a battle with her homeowners association over her drought-resistant yard after she was fined by theHOA for not having sod.

Fran Paxton was trying to be good a citizen when she decided to replace her lawn with the water-savinglandscaping.

Its a variety of mint, it stays close to the ground , it takes very little water and it is green all year,Paxton said.

The newly-planted mint will fill in, she said, giving the appearance of grass in her San Ramon neighborhood of Twin Creeks.

It works for thelocal water district, which gave Paxton a rebate on the landscaping work.

On the other hand, the Twin Creeks Homeowners Association is nothappy. They were demanding that I put in sod, said an exasperated Paxton.

When she refused, the HOA fined her, assessing a $50 a month penalty until the sod is installed.

Meanwhile, many of her neighbors have had their lawns go completely brown during this drought. Other neighbors even have yards without lawns.

Originally posted here:
East Bay Homeowner Fined By HOA For Replacing Lawn With Drought-Resistant Landscaping

Bill Ryan/The Gazette

Montgomery County Park and Planning maintains the baseball and softball fields at James H. Blake High School in Silver Spring, site of this American Legion game between Cissel Saxon (Lawrence Johnson) and Wheaton (Zeke Green) on July 1. Most public high schools, however, must maintain their athletic fields themselves.

At most Montgomery County public high schools, coaches and athletic directors put in a lot of individual time and effort to keep athletic fields not only playable, but in excellent condition.

Take for instance Germantowns Seneca Valley High School, an athletics program that has enjoyed a lot of success, winning more state football championships than any other school in Maryland.

According to Athletic Director Jesse Irvin, he and the coaches mow the grass and line the fields themselves. The football field at Seneca Valley consists of Bermuda grass, which is supplied by a private outside landscaping company, the Brickman Group. But once the sod is put down, it is up to Irvin and his coaches to maintain the field.

Were not a school with a contract, Irvin said. The county doesnt maintain our fields.

Despite the hard work and time commitment, Irvin believes having control over his own fields helps the school in the long run.

It gives us an advantage, he said. I believe we have one of the nicest grass fields in the county, and our kids love playing on it.

Although the county does not help maintain Seneca Valleys fields, the Montgomery County Public School system does provide some financial aid.

High schools, for the most part, provide for the maintenance for their athletic fields, Dr. William Duke Beattie, Montgomery Countys director of system-wide athletics, said in an email to The Gazette. ...The school system periodically foots the bill for resurfacing a high school stadium field, doing about one school per year. The school system also takes care of resurfacing tracks and tennis courts.

See more here:
Some schools benefit from county facilities -- Gazette.Net