Autzen Stadium is looking a little different these days as the facility is preparing to host the International Champions Cup on Sunday. Eugene is just one of 10 national stops on the tour.
On a shining, bright day in Autzen Stadium, one might expect to hear Duck football fans cheer “S’co Ducks!” or throw their hands up and shout.
But this weekend brings a different kind of football to the stadium.
It’s what we Americans know as soccer.
“The international standard is grass to play these international friendlies on,” says Kassel.
That’s Tim Kassel, senior vice president for Relevent Sports.
“The teams we have playing in the ICC tournament are literally the best in the world," says Kassel. "The quality of how they play is important, and grass is the surface that they want to play on.”
Kassel’s company is responsible for all the logistics around the International Champions Cup.
He says the sod for the field is local. The grass is from a company in Salem. This is the first time since the 1970s that Autzen has had real grass on its field.
Follow Kira Hoffelmeyer on Twitter @kirahoffy