Poor field conditions prompted the cancellation of the game between Oakland Roots SC and Sacramento Republic FC at Laney College Football Stadium. (Robert Edwards-Robert Edwards Media)
Faced with few good options, the Oakland Roots announced their Saturday home game against Austin Bold will be held behind closed doors at Las Positas College in Livermore.
Las Positas soccer pitch, where the Roots practice, has an excellent turf field used by international teams for their training field when visiting the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Our priority in the last few days has been to ensure that what happened last Saturday will not happen again,” the Roots announced. “We have made the decision that the only way we can be certain of this is not to use the turf system from last year and to find an alternative venue for the match.”
USL has already approved the field for the team to play their game this Saturday. Oakland has no other USSF certified field available to play on short notice. One possible choice, Edwards Stadium in Berkeley, doesn’t have lights which are a league’s broadcast criteria. Cal State East Bay’s Pioneer Stadium could also have been a backup, but the turf field there is reportedly old and not in prime condition.
Oakland Roots SC team huddles on the field before the game against Sacramento Republic FC at Laney College Football Stadium. (Robert Edwards-Robert Edwards Media)
The move was in response to the postponement of the Roots’ first home game at Laney Stadium in Oakland on June 19 after the team’s portable turf field was deemed unplayable. The Roots’ portable soccer field is comprised of 2900 rectangular panels of field turf that are laid out and connected together. It covers the existing track and football field at Laney Stadium.
The portable turf field is necessary to create a soccer field at least 110 yards long by 70 yards wide, the minimum field requirement size for a USL league match.
With the move, no fans will be allowed into the stadium to watch the game, and kickoff was moved from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The game will still be broadcast on ESPN+ and KOFY-TV, and the team is holding a viewing party at the Tribune Tower Parking Lot in downtown Oakland which will feature a DJ, free drinks, and free merchandise.
“One of the Core Values we instill in our players and staff is ‘Do, Learn, Grow’ and the importance of learning from mistakes,” the Roots statement concludes. “We are all deeply sorry for the mistakes we made at the start of our USL Championship season, and we truly appreciate each and every one of you who believe that the future of Oakland Roots holds something truly special.”
The Roots expect to have a new turf field delivered and ready to play on before their July 10 home game at Laney College.
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