The soccer turf war between the U.S. Women’s National Team and the U.S. Soccer Federation continues, and now with possible legal action.
Always Investigating reveals that the USSF is calling the Stadium Authority in default, after Sunday’s match was cancelled on short notice because of the team’s turf concerns at Aloha Stadium.
The U.S. team took their first steps on the turf on Saturday, just hours before boycotting the match. They said they weren’t pleased with the terrain, seam placement and stadium dimensions.
And now, KHON2 is first to report the U.S. Soccer Federation is getting its lawyers involved.
Always Investigating obtained a letter from U.S. Soccer’s attorney, as well as all contracts between state entities and the federation, to dig deeper into what’s going on.
The documents show it’s a turf war on several fronts.
On one side, has the state dodged a bullet over a technicality? At least the Hawaii Tourism Authority thinks so. The state’s tourism office made a deal to pay U.S. Soccer $200,000 in the form of a “Game Promotion Agreement” with half of it due before the event was even to have taken place.
HTA’s President & CEO George Szigeti told KHON2 Monday that “none of the sponsorship funds have been paid out, as HTA has never received an original, fully executed and notarized signed contract from the U.S. Soccer Federation.”
But that’s not the only deal dealing with this game. There was a separate contract to use the stadium itself. According to that “Stadium Agreement,” U.S. Soccer would have played rent-free. They also were going to get to keep all ticket revenue and all money from broadcast and photo rights.
The Stadium Authority’s only upside was food and beverage sales, and parking fees.
The Stadium Agreement also states U.S. Soccer accepted the stadium in the condition that it exists, unless the Stadium Authority had taken steps to actively conceal defects.
We wanted a closer look at the field on Monday, but the Stadium Authority said they couldn’t let us in — even to the sidelines — nor comment further because they say it’s become a legal issue.
So we took a closer look at the contract, and found U.S. Soccer acknowledged in advance that the field was slightly smaller than soccer’s usual requirements.
The stadium had to deliver no alterations other than removing residual markings from other sports, and it gave U.S. Soccer the right to inspect the field seven days ahead, and again 48 hours prior to the game. Things looked good at that time.
Stadium manager Scott Chan said on Sunday that “when they signed the contract, and they came on Thursday, they made it very clear that it was acceptable. Nothing came up until last night, at the last hour.”
But the contract does require a “first-class” field, and it’s on those grounds the U.S. Soccer Federation now seems to intend to hold the state in default, despite the Stadium Authority saying U.S. Soccer accepted the field as it was set up days earlier.
In a letter the state received today and Always Investigating obtained, the U.S. Soccer Federation’s attorney accuses the Stadium Authority of delivering a field “unfit, unsafe and unplayable,” calling that an “uncured default” by the Stadium Authority, and reserving their rights and remedies — this despite the contract stating U.S. Soccer will not make any claim against the state for losses.
The state Attorney General’s office declined comment as it is still reviewing the letter.
Sources told Always Investigating that low ticket sales weighed in on the decision to cancel. Stadium Authority meeting minutes from earlier in the fall reveal that the U.S. Soccer Federation expected 25,000 to 30,000 tickets to be sold, but only 16,000 were.
Neither U.S. Soccer’s spokesperson, nor an attorney representing the players, has yet responded to requests for comment on any of these matters.
We looked more into the turf at the stadium that’s at the center of all this controversy. It was installed for under $2 million back in 2011.
It’s less than halfway through the industry standard of eight to 10 years of use, and is still under warranty.
The Stadium Authority plans to put it out for bid soon, for replacement in 2017.
