Attorney Michael Avenatti told the Associated Press that fans traveled from other states to attend the game, including Colts and Packers fans who traveled from IN and Wisconsin to the site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame IN Canton, Ohio.
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In an era when the NFL is attempting to do far more than pay lip service to “player safety”, there was no other decision for Baker and the league to make. The tester maintained that the crusting would ultimately break up after players ran across those portions of the field.
The Hall of Fame Game is met with reluctance by coaches and veterans alike, but the new season’s curtain raiser is a dream gig for those auditioning for a permanent spot on the roster. A preseason game was called off in 2001 because of the uneven surface.
The Hall has already gone on record saying they’d refund game ticket costs back to fans but no mention of travel expenses.
The Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts were sent packing before the teams could even take the field in Canton, Ohio.
The traditional exhibition in Canton, Ohio, an extra preseason contest for each team and source of local pride, was canceled when National Football League and team officials deemed the turf unsafe due to hardened paint and loosened rubber pellets. “Really? To not have that ready for a game that they knew was happening”. He said the union has heard from other teams that the fields there can be soft because of the rain. So I think that is what the focus is, and the National Football League is saying we are committed to this, too, the safety of our players.
Winston said the committee will consider fields used overseas for National Football League games as well. The substance they were trying to get the paint off with, I can promise you, was not health-conscious at all.
Fans who made their purchases via credit card will automatically be issued a refund.
He also made clear that the NFL’s football operations department “must demand and expect an extra level of detail in adhering to NFL standards. for non-club fields”.
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In the memo, Vincent indicated a key issue with the timeline that contributed to the situation: the decking that covered the field for the previous night’s enshrinement ceremony wasn’t fully removed until approximately 2:45 p.m. ET on Sunday – work that was to be completed by 8 a.m. “All playing surfaces must be in the best possible condition to showcase the players’ skills and talents”.
