NFL Cancels Hall Of Fame Game Due To Poor Field Conditions
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — The Hall of Fame game between Green Bay and Indianapolis has been canceled because of poor field conditions, hall President David Baker said Sunday.
Representatives of the hall and both teams met several hours before the scheduled 8 p.m. kickoff to discuss the turf, and the Packers and Colts felt the field was not safe. Most noticeable were bare spots around midfield, and several players said painted areas were too hard.
Packers players cleared the field as workers used a variety of equipment to smooth the artificial surface. Rubber pellets used in the turf came loose and were scattered in several spots and needed to be removed.
"This is a hard decision, but we know it is the right decision," Baker said. "In some respects a hard decision because of the impact it has. This is an important game to the people in Canton."
The NFL issued the following statement: Due to safety concerns with the condition of the playing surface in Canton, tonight's game between the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers has been cancelled. We are very disappointed for our fans, but player safety is our primary concern, and as a result, we could not play an NFL game on this field tonight.
Baker said the Hall's class of 2016 would be introduced to the crowd, and the halftime show featuring Lee Greenwood would be held.
Thousands of Packers fans came to Canton to see Brett Favre inducted Saturday night, and many returned Sunday to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. They sat watching highlights of Favre's speech and of Friday night's concert featuring Tim McGraw before they were told about the game's cancellation.
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