It smelled like grass and everyone was in a good mood as BMO Field received its much-anticipated makeover on the eve of Real Madrid’s arrival in Toronto.
Ahead of the summer’s biggest soccer event, dozens of workers watered, rolled and air-dried huge slabs of sod placed on top of the much-maligned FieldTurf. It has to be perfect, for any flaw in the surface might mean the paying public will not see one or more of their favourite soccer stars.
“It is good, Canadian grass,” said Bob Hunter, MLSE’s executive vice-president of venues and entertainment. “We are confident that Real Madrid will find this very suitable to play on.”
Bringing the 31-time Spanish league champions to Toronto for a preseason kick-about hinged on laying down the temporary surface. The cost of accommodating the soccer needs of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká and Karim Benzema was split between the two clubs, and did not come cheap.
“It cost around $250,000 for the one game. It is a combination of both Toronto FC and a local promoter who has the connection to Real Madrid,” Hunter said. “It was a key condition. They have two or three of the world’s best players on their squad and they only play on grass.”
The idea of accommodating world class talent while the Reds continue to play on the much-maligned artificial surface raised the ire of a few players when the exhibition was announced back in May. The grassy set up leading in to Thursday and Friday will only last 10 days maximum, after which the sod will be donated to a local schoolyard.
“That goes and shows you, right? Because Real Madrid comes here, we go and put grass in? What does that mean to me as a player for TFC? We don’t get that respect?” Dwayne De Rosario quipped in the wake of the news.
Hunter understands the frustration voiced by De Rosario and others, but insists that putting grass down permanently is more complicated than simply backing in a truck.
“We cannot permanently install grass in this facility until we have the approval of the three partners in this building,” Hunter said. “To do a proper (grass) field is around $3.5 million and we have said to the city and the province and the feds that if we can work out an arrangement that works for all parties that we would pay the cost of that arrangement.”
The initial cost of building BMO Field in 2006 was split four ways by MLSE, the city of Toronto, the province of Ontario and the Canadian federal government. It was also agreed that the stadium would be used for community purposes, meaning when the MLS franchise was not using it for home games or training, local teams would be able to use the facility. In the winter months a bubble is placed over the FieldTurf and rentals are charged by the hour.
“Ideally, and a couple of our players have been pretty vocal about it, given the option they would prefer to play on grass, and that is why we are pushing this as much as we are,” Hunter said of any on-going talks to put down grass in the future. “To make the game as authentic as it should be natural grass is the solution, but again, we have partners and can’t make these arbitrary decisions. We have listened to the players and have done as much with the field as we can do. But are they as happy as they can be about it, no.”
Video of the BMO grass: Click to see video of what it looks like ahead of the game
The deadline for the grass being laid and ready is 7 p.m. on Thursday, when Real Madrid will hold an open training session for fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the new Galacticos.
“We wanted it to be — at he recommendation of the installer — as close to the game as possible,” Hunter said. “At that point you will get the best product.”
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| BMO Field goes green ahead of Real Madrid. |
In 2004 temporary grass was placed over the artificial turf at the then-called SkyDome in Toronto as European champions FC Porto and English giants Liverpool played in front of 40,000-plus fans. The idea has also been used in FIFA World Cups, specifically back in 1994 when Brazil and Sweden played at the Silverdome in Detroit, MI.
“It is like a jigsaw puzzle. It is a bunch of pieces and they have to keep them as tight as possible so they can keep the seams tight so there is no movement.”
Thursday night’s Real Madrid training session will be followed by the main event on Friday, which kicks off at 7 p.m. ET. Sportsnet.ca will blog live from the game and cover the post-game conferences from both teams.