League makes right call in canceling Hall game
The NFL wisely sacrificed revenue for player safety Sunday night when the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, was canceled because of dangerous field conditions.
Hardening of logos at midfield and in the end zone forced the game between Green Bay and Indianapolis to be called off.
An embarrassing episode for the league — at least on social media — was overshadowed by the sensible decision to cancel the game to ensure that no player suffered an injury because of hazardous field conditions.
“Due to safety concerns with the condition of the playing surface in Canton, tonight’s game between the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers has been can-
celed,” the NFL said in a statement. “We are very disappointed for our fans, but player safety is our primary concern, and as a result, we could not play an NFL game on this field tonight.”
A sellout crowd of more than 22,375 at Tom Benson Stadium — as well as a national television audience — would have seen the Packers and Colts play mostly reserves in the NFL’s annual preseason opener that concludes induction weekend.
After the game was called off, those who remained in the stands were treated to a fanfest, with some players returning to the field and many signed autographs. The class of 2016, which is usually introduced at halftime of the game, also was brought onto the field.
Brett Favre, Tony Dungy, Orlando Pace, Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison and Eddie DeBartolo Jr., were introduced to the fans. They made their induction speeches — along with the families of the late Kenny Stabler and Dick Stanfel — during Saturday night’s induction ceremony.
Lee Greenwood performed what would have been his halftime act.
“This is a hard decision, but we know it is the right decision,” said Hall of Fame president David Baker, who added that fans will be reimbursed for their game tickets. The Hall of Fame Game is a fifth preseason game for the participants, so Green Bay and Indianapolis won’t be at a competitive disadvantage, although they did lose a day of practice — a small price to pay to prevent players from potential injuries.
What used to be Fawcett Stadium next to the Pro Football Hall of Fame was renamed after Saints owner Tom Benson contributed $10 million to a renovation and expansion that began after the 2015 game and will be continued this week.
The FieldTurf surface wasn’t the issue. The logos congealed.
As one player told ESPN about the midfield area: “The paint on the logo won’t allow a cleat to penetrate it. A definite hazard to player safety.”
In recent years, commissioner Roger Goodell has emphasized player safety more than any time in league history. As Baker, the Hall of Fame president, told the NFL Network, “We want to err on the side of safety.
“We thought we would be able to remediate it by delaying the game for as much as an hour, but in the end, if it’s remotely close to unsafe, we conferred with the league, we think the best thing to do is respect the safety of the players. It’s the only thing to do.”
It might look bad for a bit, but in the long run it was a smart move.