49ers Stadium

Last year, the 49ers' brand-new Levi's Stadium had a problem with its turf -- chunks of grass and dirt so large and uneven that players were at risk of rolling ankles and suffering injuries.

The team thought that problem was fixed during the offseason. But it wasn't. The 49ers were forced to cancel a public practice in the stadium, which is scheduled to host Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016, due to divots and other problems resulting from the loose turf.

The team moved the public session to its practice facility to give the grass more time to take root and strengthen.

But the turf is far behind the progress the team has expected -- and for a stadium that claims to be the most technologically advanced in the country, it's something of an embarrassment.

"We remain confident that our turf management program will provide a playing surface that meets the team's standards, as we enter the 2015 NFL season," said the team's VP of stadium operations in a statement.

Even so, the turf is creating headaches. New 49ers coach Jim Tomsula had wanted to hold all eight training camp practices in Levi's Stadium, according to the Sacramento Bee. Instead, only two practices have been held in its home stadium.

Best, Worst NFL Stadium Beer Prices Revealed

 

EXPENSIVE: O.CO COLISEUM

Can Raiders fans catch a break? Their team hasn't made the playoffs since 2002. Almost every home game in the last three years has been blacked out on local TV due to poor game attendance. And those that do choose to attend the game pay a league-high $10.75 for a beer.

 

EXPENSIVE: LEVI'S STADIUM

The 49ers know their fans have deep pockets. The team just moved into fancy new confines in nearby Santa Clara, and the average cost of a ticket into Levi's Stadium is the highest in the league. San Francisco is also a close second to neighboring Oakland when it comes to the price of a beer, at $10.25 per. But hey, at least they're winning games.

 

CHEAP: GILLETTE STADIUM

Things aren't so bad for New England fans. The price of a beer in Gillette Stadium is right at the league average, but Patriots fans get 20 ounces for just $7.50. When priced by ounce, Pats beers are tied for the second-cheapest game beers in the NFL.

 

CHEAP: EDWARD JONES DOME

You don't often see beer prices go down from season to season, but that's exactly what happened in St. Louis this year, dropping the price of beer to $4.50. The Rams have seen better football days, but a glass of beer is 50 cents cheaper in St. Louis than in any other NFL stadium. That's something to celebrate.

 

CHEAP: PAUL BROWN STADIUM

St. Louis may have the lowest sticker price for beer, sure. But if you want to get down to brass tacks, no one sells cheaper drafts than Cincinnati. One beer costs five dollars, but fans get 14 ounces in a glass instead of 12. That's just enough of a difference to lead the league in price-per-ounce.

 

EXPENSIVE: CENTURYLINK FIELD

Seattle claims to have the best football fans in the world, but that admiration doesn't translate into savings at the snack line. Beer at Seattle's CenturyLink Field is on the more expensive end in the NFL, with a single draft costing $8.

 

EXPENSIVE: MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME

For being in a city known to throw a good party, beer sales at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome sure don't make it easy to imbibe. A beer at a Saints game will cost you $9, but fans only get 16 ounces in their cup. That's 56 cents per ounce, the third-worst mark in the NFL.

 

CHEAP: HEINZ FIELD

If volume is your main concern, plan a trip to Pittsburgh. In a city known for its blue-collar pedigree, fans are treated with 21-ounce fistfuls of beer, the largest standard beer of any NFL stadium. And at just $8 each, Heinz Field is tied with New England's Gillette Field for the second-best price-per-ounce.

 

EXPENSIVE: UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM

It's not the $7.25 price tag that will frustrate fans at Arizona's University of Phoenix Stadium. It's the fact that beers only come in 12-ounce sizes. That's 60 cents per ounce, which stands alone as the second-highest mark in the NFL. Only one other fan base has more of a right to complain...

 

EXPENSIVE: LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD

Congratulations, Philly fans. What you lack in Super Bowl victories, you make up for by laying claim to the most expensive beer in all the National Football League. Like Arizona, beers only come in 12-ounce sizes. But Philly fans pay $8.50 per, a full $1.25 more than what Cardinals fans are forced to shell out.

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Meanwhile, there's concern that the turf has actually gotten worse from 2014. After some initial troubles, the grass held together fairly well for the regular season.

But now, the turf actually seems to have gotten worse, despite changes to the soil composition that were believed to have helped the grass hold together.

Levi's Stadium has hosted plenty of non-football events, including major concerts, but new grass has been laid down since all the wear and tear suffered over the summer. Stadium management is under fire to solve the issue fast before the turf gives way in regular-season games.

If the grass doesn't hold, angry players will surely hold the team accountable.

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