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

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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.

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