Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/637179
The 49ers had two full seasons to work out the kinks of traffic snarls and issues with the playing surface to get ready for Super Bowl 50. After poor footing forced the 49ers off the practice field during the preseason due to player-safety concerns, the grass seemed to be the least of the 49ers' concerns during the 2015 season. West Coast Turf shipped its Super Bowl hybrid Ber- muda/rye sod from its facility in Livingston to Santa Clara for installation, which began Jan. 11. Of course, there are certain elements that are out of everybody's control. After more than three years of drought conditions in Northern California, El Niño could complicate the mat- ters when the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers face off. The NFL took over the field preparations after the 49ers' season-ending game. Those in charge are confi- dent the field will hold up to whatever nature drops its way. Certainly, one of the major storylines as the game approaches will be the weather report. For the 49ers and the Bay Area, the outcome of the game is immaterial. The total experience and percep- tion of those attending the event are all that matter. After experiencing plenty of fan vitriol over the past year, Jed York's Super Bowl is, in fact, the Super Bowl. And he is desperately in need of a victory this week to place Levi's Stadium into the rotation of Super Bowl stadiums. York delivered a stadium after more than two de- cades of failed attempts, beginning with his uncle Ed- die DeBartolo's unsuccessful quests during his owner- ship. DeBartolo won five Super Bowls during his time in charge, but could not find a suitable replacement for de- teriorating Candlestick Park. The golden anniversary Super Bowl is a nice respite for the 49ers organization, which can trumpet its suc- cesses in creating franchise stability because of a state- of-the-art stadium that guarantees the 49ers are not go- ing anywhere. But once the game leaves town, it's back to the more- daunting task of creating a plan to get the 49ers back to among those NFL teams competing to win a cham- pionship. Until then, not even heavy precipitation can rain on this Bay Area football parade. North State native Matt Maiocco covers the 49ers for CSNBA. He was previously the 49ers beat writer for the Contra Costa Times and Santa Rosa Press-Democrat. You can read his 49ers and Super Bowl coverage at CSNBayArea.com ERIC RISBERG — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The biggest sporting spectacle in the world will be on display in the 49ers' showcase home, Levi's Stadium. Pacific Grove on the tip of the Monterey Peninsula www.pacificgrove.org • (800) 656-6650