Photo of the shade being cast on Levi's Stadium. Home of the San Francisco 49ers. 

Image Credit: Chris Martin (CC BY 2.0)

The east side of Levi’s Stadium has long been known as a sauna and stares directly at the California sun. Just ask any San Francisco 49ers fan that has sat there during a 49ers home game in September. After many complaints from fans, the 49ers front office looked for a way to provide more shade for fans on that side of the stadium.

 

However, due to FAA regulations and the stadium’s design, it’s not possible for the 49ers organization to add an awning or protective cover. According to the FAA, the San Francisco 49ers are prohibited from adding an additional structure due to the stadium’s proximity to San Jose International Airport. Instead, the San Francisco 49ers are lowering the price of bottled water at Levi’s Stadium from $6 to $2. The east side of Levi’s Stadium is also home to the visiting team’s sideline.

The heat on the east side of Levi’s Stadium has become a big enough problem that the 49ers have even tried scheduling preseason home games for the later afternoons. The idea of adding a mist machine to help keep fans cool was explored. However, the mist machine would make the aisles slippery and unsafe for fans. Despite the shade issue, the San Francisco 49ers still have a very strong season ticket base. Levi’s Stadium is in the hunt to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and would also like to host another Super Bowl after hosting the event in 2016.

 

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