By Robert Haugh
This weekend, a San Francisco publication ran an excellent story about the 49ers’ contentious relationship with Santa Clara.
And this time it wasn’t the San Francisco Chronicle.
SFGATE is a Hearst-owned media organization, like the Chronicle. But they aren’t behind a paywall so their stories get good online traffic.
Their sports editor Alex Simon wrote a lengthy story entitled: “The 49ers and Santa Clara’s decade-long fight over … youth soccer.”
Of all the local stories about the battle of the Youth Soccer Park (YSP), Simon’s story is the most comprehensive and best.
Everyone knows about how 49ers CEO Jed York reneged on his public promises during the 2010 stadium campaign to protect the YSP and its operations.
York even put in writing in 2012 that the team would build new fields so kids would have a place to play when there were no avoidable conflicts with stadium events.
Simon gives us some new details.
Beginning in 2017, community leader Burt Field was in charge of scheduling soccer matches. But he had to spend a lot of time physically protecting the fields and parking lots from rowdy football fans.
York didn’t have to courtesy to break his promise to Santa Clarans himself. He sent one of his executives Larry McNeil to do the the dirty work.
Around 2013, McNeil told then-Councilmember Lisa Gillmor the team would not build any soccer fields.
49ers team spokesperson Ellie Caple tells SFGATE “We have no interest in purchasing the soccer park.”
But that’s not legally possible. Santa Clara voters passed Measure R in 2016.
The Measure was a reaction to the 49ers’ attempt to take the YSP years earlier.
Almost 90 percent of Mission City voters voted into law that any sale of a city park has to go to a citywide vote and win with a two-thirds majority.
Even if the 49ers win the Super Bowl that’s not likely to happen. The players are popular but York has never cleaned up his reputation.
Simon’s story also highlights how the 49er Five led by Suds Jain have made recent attempts to help the team by taking YSP parking for stadium events.
The story is worth a read for Santa Clarans who care about the YSP and City politics.
It’s good to see another San Francisco publication covering the Mission City and filling a major news vacuum.
Is there a reason why the 49ers can’t use their practice fields for parking?Santa Clara should consider building its own multi level parking lot at YSL site with a field on top and make the parking money for the city.
Becker and Jain submitted a 79 page fppc complaint against the soccer parents. COWARDS. Yes, Stand Up and I feuded. I stood my ground myself. I took their criticism in stride.
This past weekend I visited Reed and Grant soccer parks. Completely empty. I also visited a Santa Clara park near me, Maywood Park, where I saw a pickup soccer game and the start of a volleyball game. Maywood Park has no athletic fields, just a big grassy/weedy area. Yes, it was raining but that didn’t stop anyone. Why is Reed and Grant empty? As I understand it there is a high demand for soccer fields in January and February. (I have pictures and would gladly share if there was interest and a way.)
Thanks for the great comment.
I’m not sure on details, but it looks like the Reed/Grant facility is multi-use with limited availability, perhaps due to staffing?
Possibly due to it being synthetic turf makes it not friendly for “Winter” use?
https://www.santaclaraca.gov/our-city/departments-g-z/parks-recreation/community-centers/reed-grant-sports-park
Bob, Actually that’s what’s puzzling. Artificial turf proponents say that it can be played on 24/7 every day of the year. This past weekend I also visited the Fair Oaks Park fields (artificial turf) and, though 2/3 empty (there are 3 soccer sized fields altogether) there was a spirited adult (20-40 year olds) league game in progress. The Santa Clara Reed and Grant natural grass field was also empty, maybe to ‘preserve’ the grass though I know that all of the Manteca public high schools have natural grass fields and, though they aren’t used from the end of November when high school football stops or through winter break, their soccer teams start playing in mid-January. Then again, there are newer drought tolerant, tough Bermudagrass hybrid grasses developed for Western U.S. sports that make a for a good year round playing experience. But getting back to Reed and Grant — it’s weird that no one at all was there.
Possibly a pickup game with beer on the sideline would make it difficult to reserve a city facility so they chose Mayfield. They are having fun but it’s not really soccer.
Mr. Haugh
Thanks for printing this. A little good history here, on Nov 16, 2016 Measure R was the highest passing Ballot Measure in the History of our state at 89.61%.
33,3552 Yes Vote
3,890 No Vote
Santa Clara Residents made a very strong statement that day.
We now need to make another strong statement.
Keeping our Elected Police Chief. It sets us apart from every other City, and we love it.
It will not be easy given the 49ers own the local Media.
Remember what’s important to them.
Budgets
Line Items
Ultimately purview on all aspects that interact with their business.
I think we are worth more than that, how about you?
Santa Clara residents you have a very short “To Do” list.
1. Reach out to get others to get them to register and vote
2. Then Vote.
We have 30 more years of this, and at the end of the day Santa Clara is worth fighting for.
Vote No on B
Now tell others!!!
Burt Field
burt.field@gmail.com
Burt, throughout the entire Charter Review Committee process you and the small ‘vote no’ crowd showed up with rudimentary arguments. The Vote Yes on Measure B crowd were much more educated and even provided valid research to support their perspective. I don’t mean this as a personal slight, but an observation of your statements – your arguments were incredibly weak and unsubstantiated. https://www.santaclaraca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/81697/638303005306830000
And there were others next to you who’s positions were bested by testimony from educators, the NAACP, a deputy sheriff, and the Asian Law Alliance. Your ally Nancy Biagini apparently wouldn’t provide the reports she proclaimed to have reviewed. Jeremy Schmidt’s poll was found to have been conducted by a political operative who works exclusively with police unions. Pat Nikolai’s assertions were countered by retired Police Chief Max Bosel’s testimony. In reviewing documents submitted, retired Police Chief Charles Arolla is also against your side.
You’ve commented on this blog you’re not an educated man. That’s not to say life lessons should be overlooked. But the Yes on Measure B group appears to have done their homework and they seem to have the opinion and support of retired Police Chief’s Arolla, Vasquez, and Ferguson on their side.
Yes, good to see. The only interest the Murky News has in Santa Clara is trying to fool us into giving up the right to vote for or Chief of Police. Other than that they pretend we don’t exist.