Editing Lumen Field (section)

== Surface ==
[[File:Soundersfcqwestfield.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|alt=A stadium with a soccer pitch at dusk. The lower tier is filled with people.|The stadium prior to a Sounders match on FieldTurf]]

The 1997 state referendum stated that the stadium would feature a natural grass surface, but FieldTurf was not an option when the stadium was originally presented to voters according to the Public Stadium Authority.<ref name="Seattle Post-Intelligencer 2001-09-28">{{cite news |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/football/40640_turf28.shtml |title=Turf battle ends as stadium board approves FieldTurf |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=September 27, 2009 |date=September 27, 2001}}</ref> Seahawks management reconsidered the playing surface after the Seahawks played on FieldTurf at Husky Stadium during the [[2000 Seattle Seahawks season|2000]] and [[2001 Seattle Seahawks season|2001]] seasons. Artificial turf was installed because it was easier to maintain than natural grass. The potential damage to a natural grass field caused by Seattle's frequent rain also made the surface an appealing option.<ref name="Seattle Times 2002-08-02 Newnham" /> In order to keep a grass surface robust under heavy football use during late fall and early winter rains, a $1.8&nbsp;million irrigation and heating system would have been required.<ref name="Seattle Post-Intelligencer 2001-07-27" /> The coach of the Seahawks at the time, [[Mike Holmgren]], said that FieldTurf installation was the right decision and stated that "the players love it, and I think this surface will offer a better product on the field for the fans."<ref name="USA Tdoay">{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Pedulla |title=Seahawks' artificial turf earns praise from players |date=September 10, 2002 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2002-09-10-fieldturf_x.htm |work=USA Today |access-date=August 3, 2009}}</ref> Local soccer fans were concerned that the lack of a natural grass field would hinder Seattle's chances of receiving an MLS expansion franchise.<ref name="Seattle Post-Intelligencer 2001-07-27" /> They asserted that voters had approved the facility with the understanding that the new stadium was intended for soccer as well as football.<ref name="USA Tdoay" /> In a compromise, First & Goal agreed to pay for grass to be installed for special events when needed.<ref name="Puget Sound Business Journal 2008-02-08">{{cite news |first=Greg |last=Lamm |title=Qwest Field playing surface to be replaced |date=February 8, 2008 |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/02/04/daily35.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=May 14, 2009}}</ref>

In 2002, Seahawks Stadium became the first stadium in the NFL to install a [[FieldTurf]] [[artificial turf|artificial field]].<ref name="Seattle PI Paul Allen" /> The surface is made of plastic fibers rooted in a mixture of ground rubber and sand.<ref name="Seattle Post-Intelligencer 2001-07-27">{{cite news |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/othersports/32948_turf27.shtml |title=Showdown looms over turf in new stadium |last=Bruscas |first=Angelo |date=July 27, 2001 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=November 5, 2009}}</ref> The field was replaced in early 2008 after tests showed that compression of sand and rubber increased the risk of player injuries. For the second installation, FieldTurf won the bid over [[Polytan]]. For the replacement surface, a one-inch (two and one-half centimeters) poured rubber foundation was added to prevent the compression from reoccurring. Under the naming rights agreement, Qwest paid $500,000 for the installation and First & Goal paid the remaining amount, which was undisclosed.<ref name="Puget Sound Business Journal 2008-02-08" /> By 2010 the FieldTurf's quality had decreased with the blades becoming matted down. It also failed FIFA's quality testing to be ranked 2 Star. A new FieldTurf surface was laid down in 2012 and it met the requirements of a 2 Star field after testing.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mayers |first=Joshua |title=CenturyLink turf passes FIFA 2-Star testing |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2018140224_centurylink_turf_passes_fifa_2.html |access-date=May 4, 2012 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=May 4, 2012}}</ref> A new turf field, using the FieldTurf Revolution 360, was installed in February 2016 ahead of the [[2016 Seattle Sounders FC season|2016 Sounders season]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Pentz |first=Matt |date=February 19, 2016 |title=Seahawks, Sounders announce new FieldTurf installation at CenturyLink Field |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/seattle-sounders-announce-completion-of-new-fieldturf-installation-at-centurylink-field/ |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=February 21, 2016}}</ref>

There have been various opinions regarding both the artificial surface and temporary grass surfaces used for soccer matches. After the [[Brazil national football team|Brazilian national team]] defeated [[Canada men's national soccer team|Canada's side]] 3–2 in 2008, [[Dunga|Brazil's coach]] commented that one reason for his team's unexpectedly poor performance was the loosely installed grass field.<ref name="USA Today 2008-06-01">{{cite news |first=Greg |last=Bell |title=Brazil survives Canada 3–2 |date=June 1, 2008 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2008-06-01-1569670979_x.htm |work=USA Today |access-date=April 4, 2009}}</ref> The [[Grenada national football team|Grenada national team]] struggled to cope with the artificial surface during their loss at the [[2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup]].<ref name="Washington Post 2009-07-04">{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSTRE56408P20090705 |title=U.S. make winning start in Gold Cup |date=July 4, 2009 |publisher=Reuters |access-date=November 6, 2009}}</ref> In July 2009, the [[United States Soccer Federation|U.S. Soccer Federation]] chose [[D.C. United]]'s [[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium|RFK Stadium]] over Qwest Field for the [[2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|U.S. Open Cup]]. The general manager of D.C. United speculated that RFK's grass field was one of the reasons his team had a stronger bid.<ref name="Washington Post 2009-07-23">{{cite news |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/07/payne_responds_to_sounders.html?wprss=soccerinsider |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107175757/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/07/payne_responds_to_sounders.html?wprss=soccerinsider |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 7, 2012 |title=Payne Responds to Sounders |last=Goff |first=Steven |date=July 23, 2009 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=July 25, 2009}}</ref> The general manager of the Sounders, [[Adrian Hanauer]], told ''The Seattle Times'' in 2010 that replacement of the surface was a continuing conversation between the Sounders and Allen's [[Vulcan Inc.]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Mayers |first=Joshua |title=Talking about the Qwest turf and injuries with Sounders FC |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2012903749_talking_about_the_qwest_turf_a.html |access-date=January 28, 2011 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=September 15, 2010}}</ref> When the Los Angeles Galaxy traveled to Seattle in May 2012, the FieldTurf was noted as one of the reasons David Beckham and Robbie Keane were left out of the line-up.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bueno |first=Luis |title=Galaxy's lineup shifts fall flat in defeat at Sounders |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/05/03/galaxys-lineup-shifts-fall-flat-sounders-loss |publisher=Major League Soccer |date=May 3, 2012 |access-date=May 4, 2012 |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201013050/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/05/03/galaxys-lineup-shifts-fall-flat-sounders-loss |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2014, the field was criticized during an ESPN broadcast after an [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] corporate event involving a game of [[Quidditch]] damaged the pitch before a Sounders match.<ref>{{cite web |last=Oshan |first=Jeremiah |title=CenturyLink's turf looked awful, here's what the Sounders had to say about it |url=https://www.sounderatheart.com/2014/8/11/5991761/centurylink-turf-awful-bad-statement-quidditch |work=Sounder At Heart |access-date=March 10, 2019 |date=August 1, 2014}}</ref> [[Zach Scott]] expressed concerns over the same installation of the field and its effects on his body. The 10-year lease extension between Sounders FC and First & Goal announced in 2015 mandates new turf every four years or sooner; the first such new installation was in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pentz |first=Matt |title=Sounders announce CenturyLink Field lease extension through 2028 season |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/sounders-announce-centurylink-field-lease-extension-through-2028-season/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=March 10, 2019 |date=March 16, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pentz |first=Matt |date=February 19, 2016 |title=Seahawks, Sounders announce new FieldTurf installation at CenturyLink Field |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/seattle-sounders-announce-completion-of-new-fieldturf-installation-at-centurylink-field/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=November 6, 2022}}</ref>

Between August and November, both the Seahawks and Sounders FC host games at Lumen Field. Each team has emphasized the importance of playing their games without the other team's painted lines on the field.<ref name="Seattle Times Lines">{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2009737244_sounders26.html |title=Qwest Field pulls off quick turnaround between Sounders FC and Seahawks games |last=Romero |first=José Miguel |date=August 25, 2009 |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=November 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827161249/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2009737244_sounders26.html |archive-date=August 27, 2009}}</ref> Around 2003, at the Seahawks' request, local company EcoChemical developed for the field a new kind of paint that is "designed to fail". The new paint is relatively easy to remove with a power washer and a special chemical solution, a process that the company describes as environmentally friendly. With the new paint, converting the field between American football and soccer takes 14 hours in dry weather, though painting logos and other colors takes additional time.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chris |first=Daniels |title=CenturyLink to convert from soccer to football field in 48 hours |url=http://www.king5.com/sports/CenturyLink-to-convert-from-soccer-to-football-field-in-48-hours-223559361.html |publisher=KING 5 |access-date=September 29, 2013 |date=September 12, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922034519/http://www.king5.com/sports/CenturyLink-to-convert-from-soccer-to-football-field-in-48-hours-223559361.html |archive-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref> Despite various preparations, some Sounders matches—particularly in the playoffs—have had Seahawks logos and American football lines painted on the turf.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oshan |first=Jeremiah |date=November 1, 2013 |title=CenturyLink Field turf to have football lines for Seattle Sounders-Portland Timbers playoff matchup |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/centurylink-field-turf-have-football-lines-seattle-sounders-portland-timbers-pla |work=MLSsoccer.com |accessdate=November 7, 2022}}</ref>