The Buffalo Bills are only about a week into their new $2.1 billion stadium era and it's safe to say things have not gone over as they hoped.
First, fans quickly noticed that there were unexpected obstructed-view seats at an early August practice. The obstructed views went viral on social media, with the Bills eventually responding that they're addressing the feedback and that less than 1 percent of personal seat license holders had raised concerns about the sightlines.
Then, when players took the field at new Highmark Stadium over the weekend when the Bills took on the Carolina Panthers, an anonymous Bills player called out the new grass. While Bills linebacker Dorian Williams thought the grass field was cool and was better than turf, it "kind of chunked up a little bit."
It's still early for new Highmark Stadium, but Bills president Pete Guelli spoke on Monday to the Associated Press about the concerns related to the grass. During the preseason game over the weekend, an official had to stop the play clock to replace a divot in the grass while certain parts of the field looked noticeably brown during play. After the game, the grounds crew re-seeded parts of the field as well.
“From a playability and safety perspective, everybody’s very happy,” Guelli said, via the Associated Press. “It’s Year 1. So it’s a brand new field and it’s going to take time for the foundation to build up. So some of the things people saw in the game, those will dissipate over time.”
Speaking on the clumping and divots, Guelli noted that the grounds crew was prepared for it to happen considering its a new field.
“Our grounds people were aware that was a possibility. Until it actually happens in a game as the field is maturing and the root system is setting, those things can happen,” Guelli said. “It was attended to quickly and the game was able to continue. And we were comfortable with the performance after that.”
It's still early days for new Highmark Stadium, but as of right now it seems Guelli and the Bills are content to let the new field breathe and mature with time.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Bills president downplays new stadium grass concerns: ‘It’s going to take time’