How SF Giants’ grounds crew transformed Oracle Park for Bay FC’s record-setting match

SAN FRANCISCO This past Saturday Bay FC hosted the Washington Spirit at Oracle Park in front of an communicated crowd of and set the National Women s Soccer League NWSL attendance record Just three days later Oracle Park s field returned to its original function as the Giants beat the Chicago Cubs to begin a six-game homestand With the help of four contractors West Coast Turf Frontier Golf Delta Bluegrass and Planned Environments the Giants grounds crew transformed the ballpark into a soccer pitch then back into a baseball diamond It s a testament to my staff and to my contractors explained Greg Elliot the Giants head groundskeeper We ve identified who we feel are the best in the business to work with and we feel like they re the group that can help take us forward Before transforming the field Elliot and company met with Bay FC and the NWSL The Giants provided parameters and Bay FC provided feedback One key decision that Bay FC made was to utilize sod on plastic which can be used shortly following installation Elliot points out that placing sod on plastic is a more expensive way but provides a better playing surface and more aesthetically pleasing look What you get is a more fibrous root mass and that improves playability and lessens slippage Elliot declared It looks better it doesn t transition you re not cutting off roots when you do that On the traditional side you re cutting off roots laying it down and kind of injure the plant Following the Giants - win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug the Giants grounds crew took the first step in transforming the field into a soccer pitch by removing the pitcher s mound The next morning Frontier Golf and the Giants grounds crew removed patches of grass inside and around the infield as well as around the pitcher s mound Once the grass was removed Frontier Grass added about tons of sand then graded it out to get the field as flat as manageable With the grass removed and the sand added West Coast Turf then laid down the sod onto plastic Once the sod was down the Giants grounds crew helped get the field into shape they established a mowing pattern colored the brown spots fertilized the field and watered by hand three times per day On Aug less than a week after starting the process Bay FC hosted the Washington Spirit and eclipsed the previous NWSL record of set at Wrigley Field last year when Bay FC faced Chicago Stars FC The match was really accomplished Elliot reported I think both teams were reassured They were confident playing on it turning on it I didn t see any major slippage out of what would normally happen in a normal match I was really excited about that Once the match ended West Coast Turf returned to roll up the sod on plastic and moved it to the parking lot From there Planned Environments arrived with five semi-trucks to haul away the sod and scraps Frontier Golf then removed roughly tons of sand and graded the field back down to baseball level The next morning Delta Bluegrass arrived at Oracle Park and laid down fresh sod from approximately a m to p m Once the sod was down the Giants grounds crew spent the next three days diligently working to get the field back to playing quality On Aug Oracle Park returned to its original purpose as the Giants hosted the Cubs There were various minor aesthetic remnants of Saturday s match the center circle can still be seen in shallow left-center field but Tuesday s championship went off without a hitch as Oracle produced another milestone when Justin Verlander earned his first home win as a Giant