The last time there was an International Champions Cup game in the Twin Cities, players criticized the playing surface, and attendance left something to be desired.
Charlie Stillitano, chairman of the promotion group Relevent Sports, said he doesn't expect that again when Chelsea FC plays AC Milan on Aug. 3 in the first sporting event at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The International Champions Cup, an annual soccer tour, previously came to Minnesota in 2014, when Olympiacos beat Manchester City at TCF Bank Stadium.
That match drew 34,047 fans, but officials expect this year's match to draw more. The game will feature higher-profile clubs, inaugurate a stadium and appeal to a growing soccer fan base in the area.
The 2014 game drew criticism from the clubs because of the uneven natural grass pitch installed at TCF Bank Stadium.
Stillitano, who said he has helped put in about 200 fields, said this time a more experienced company will cut the sod in longer strips, meaning fewer seams.
Stillitano also said Real Madrid groundsman Paul Burgess will serve as a consultant.
"Last time the problem was, the group, it was the first time they had done it," Stillitano said. "It's not yardwork. It's a specialized type of work."
