NWSL’s Wave move final home game because of poor field conditions at San Diego stadium
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Wave have relocated their final regular-season game to the home stadium of opponent Racing Louisville because of field conditions at Snapdragon Stadium.
The National Women’s Soccer League game will take place Sunday night at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.
“The safety and well-being of all players is our top priority, and the current field conditions at Snapdragon Stadium, which are the responsibility of a third party, have not met the standards required for a safe playing environment,” the Wave said in a statement Friday.
The team said it will provide details in the future for fans who bought tickets. The Wave are also planning a watch party.
Snapdragon Stadium is home to the San Diego State football team. The poor condition of the field was evident Saturday night when the Aztecs hosted Washington State.
The stadium is set to become the home of Major League Soccer expansion team San Diego FC starting next year.
Snapdragon Stadium issued a statement on social media Friday through Oak View Group, the management company responsible for the venue.
“Although we recognize the aesthetics of the field do not meet our desired expectations, we are confident in our readiness to play a match on Sunday in safe conditions. Several factors, including high demand for field use and weather, have affected the turf, but we are dedicated to investing resources, specialized expertise, and advanced technology to address these challenges going forward,” the statement said.
The Wave apologized to their fans and said the team was working to resolve the issue.
“Our players, fans, and community deserve a safe and top-quality environment for every game,” the team said in its statement.
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This story has been corrected. A previous version reported erroneously that the management company responsible for the stadium did not respond to a request for comment.
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