Centurylink Field unlikely to get new turf for 2015 Sounders season

Hopes that Centurylink Field would receive a new turf surface for the Sounders' 2015 season have been dashed, as Don Ruiz first reported and Sounder at Heart has confirmed that the Clink will spend a fourth year with the current turf. This current turf started showing signs of wear and tear towards the end of the 2013 season, but throughout 2014 it was clear the surface was not optimal for soccer. The low point was the Sounders' game against the Houston Dynamo on August 10th, a day after an Amazon event left the field looking awful. It played nearly as poorly as it looked, and the players were not happy either.

As the subpar state of the turf throughout 2014 was obvious to any soccer fan with eyes, many hoped (or even assumed) that First & Goal Inc., the group that runs Centurylink Field, would replace the turf for the 2015 season. It seems that they are content to wait at least another year until replacing the turf, which would give it the same four-year lifespan of the turf that served Centurylink from 2008-11.

Why leave in the subpar turf? It seems that the Seahawks prefer the aged turf, as it is harder, faster, and more compact. And, with First & Goal, what the Seahawks want they usually get. Though First & Goal has generally been fairly good about making sure the Sounders are treated as equal tenants, this is one area where there doesn't seem to have been any compromises.

Fortunately, the Sounders are working to rectify that situation. As Ruiz reported and Sounder at Heart confirmed, the Sounders are working on a new lease with First & Goal that would formalize the turf replacement process. It is unclear what the "formalized" process would look like, but we could see something like a requirement that the turf be replaced at least every 3 years or so.

The reality though is that the Sounders will most likely play another year on the same turf. It will surely be a talking point throughout the season.