By Robert Haugh
Santa Clara’s City Council unanimously approved a deal allowing the NFL to take over the Youth Soccer Park for Super Bowl LX operations.
During Tuesday’s Council meeting, residents and city leaders revisited lingering frustration over what happened to the fields the last time the league came to town for Super Bowl 50 in 2016.
Under the agreement, the NFL will have exclusive access to Youth Soccer Park and adjacent parking areas from Jan. 5 through Feb. 22, 2026.
City staff said Field #1 will be used for media support operations and Field #3 will serve as a rehearsal field for the halftime show.
The synthetic field is not part of the licensed space, but will still be inaccessible because it sits inside the secured area.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor amended the staff recommendation to account for the negative experiences from Super Bowl 50.
Gillmor added a provision that a third party would inspect the fields before and after the NFL’s use. That information could be valuable in any lawsuit that would be required to force the NFL or the 49ers to repair or restore the fields.
Gillmor also added the City would increase its efforts to help youth soccer teams find alternate fields during the disruption and the City would assist with fee payments if needed.
The Council adopted both of Gillmor’s amendments unanimously.
The agreement includes provisions designed to document field conditions and enforce performance. It requires pre- and post-event walkthroughs to “assess and document” conditions and damages, plus an irrigation pressure test and audit before use.
The NFL also faces liquidated damages if it fails to finish the field improvement work on time: $8,702 per day after the 90-day completion window, unless delayed by force majeure or an uncured city breach.
Youth soccer teams will be displaced both during the security lockdown and during the summer renovation window. The City says it has been meeting with user groups since August and identified alternative field space during the Super Bowl use period.
The term sheet also states the City will make “reasonable efforts” to relocate users, and the NFL will reimburse documented relocation-related costs, including field fees up to $15,000.
Obviously my fear is damage to our Youth Soccer Park.
All three fields are rated to handle Youth Soccer Players, playing a Youth Soccer game.
They are not rated to handle any buildings or structures, and of course any vehicles being driven on these surfaces. Which they will do, I have pictures of the last time it happened.
A few years ago, myself and a few other very concerned residents decide to take the NFL to court. May have read about it…. Samson vs Goliath.
Our solo attorney vs. their team of 14 highly paid corporate attorney’s was no match, and surprise, we lost.
My hope and prayer is that the NFL will treat this 11 acres similar to how they treated it just a few years ago.
History will show, that even though Santa Clara Youth Soccer League lost in court, at the end of all this the NFL did do the right thing.
The area was left in better shape than when they took it over.
We shall now see.
Burt Field
78′ Buchser Grad