NFL Hall of Fame Game Canceled Due to Unsafe Field Conditions

CANTON, OH — The official kickoff of the NFL season traditionally begins with the Hall of Fame Game, however, Sunday night's game between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts didn't happen, as it was canceled just hours before kickoff due to unsafe field conditions.

Hall of Fame President David Baker said the decision to cancel the game was "difficult" but added that it was an "easy, ethical decision" because of what the Pro Football Hall of Fame stands for — "respect for players."

Baker said he didn't find out about the field conditions until 5:30 p.m. Sunday. When asked about the paint issue that caused the unsafe conditions, Baker said, "We'll look at it and make sure it never happens again."

A statement issued by the the NFL and NFL Players Association echoed Baker's sentiments, saying:

"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 cancelled. 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.”

ESPN reports that the problem was caused by the paint used on the midfield logo and in the end zones. One source said heat applied to dry the excess paint only aggravated the problem by melting the rubber pellets in the field turf.

Many of the fans felt frustrated, saying that they should have been informed sooner. Packers fan Don Hayes told ESPN:

"It's bad enough that it took me 12 hours to get here from Green Bay because of road construction. I understand the need for the players' safety, but it's definitely frustrating. This is the NFL — they're designed to have the fields ready at any given time. And to sit here and not know the paint wasn't going to work, it's kind of ridiculous."

Baker said that information regarding refunds will be available on profootballhof.com on Monday.

Image by Paul M. Walsh via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0