The Chicago Fire earned their third straight shutout against New York City FC this weekend and it was not the most eye-pleasing game to watch. Tactics and player performance certainly contributed to the lack of flow, but the field is just as much to blame.
Major League Soccer has a long history of playing games in venues not designed to host the relatively unpopular, supposedly un-American sport of soccer. Some teams still play in stadiums built for NFL football. Other teams called baseball stadiums or college campuses home for periods of time. Playing games in these venues may have been considered acceptable in the late 1990’s as the league tried to limit costs and gain support.