Fans cry foul, NFL scrambles as Hall of Fame game is canceled

The organization canceled its first preseason game—the Hall of Fame game between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts—after players and coaches raised concerns about the paint used on the field.

NFL media columnist Michael Silver explained:

With more stadium work scheduled to begin this month, the setup for Sunday’s game was essentially a stopgap; new turf had been installed since last year, and the field — which had been raised 15 feet — was covered for Friday night’s Tim McGraw concert and Saturday night’s enshrinement ceremony.

According to several sources familiar with the field preparation, things went awry after the subsequent painting of logos in the middle of the field and in the end zones on Sunday. Improper paint may have been used, and when it did not seem to be drying quickly enough, someone apparently made the dubious decision to heat the field in an effort to dry it — thus melting the rubber pellets inside the FieldTurf and creating a slick, sticky and (in Baker’s words) “congealed” effect.