Sounders captain Evans gives new artificial turf seal of approval

The Seattle Sounders' green shirts will finally be accompanied by green turf after CenturyLink Field installed a new artificial surface ahead of the 2016 MLS season.

Sounders players already feel a difference between the two artificial surfaces - a difference club captain Brad Evans described as "night and day."

"It's great. I think it actually plays really nice," Evans said, according to the Sounders' official website. "The turf before was so matted down, definitely bouncy when it was wet; it didn't play true. But this one, even though it was wet, I think it played pretty true."

The Sounders' new turf is a stark contrast to the old, grayed field that MLS opponents came to expect over the last five years - so much so that Evans thinks losing that hard, plastic ground beneath their feet might actually prove somewhat disadvantageous for his side.

"I think last year's turf was more of an advantage for us," Evans said. "Just the way that it played, I think teams were shell-shocked when they came in here. Teams wouldn't even travel; certain players wouldn't even travel to come play here. I think that says something about the old turf."

Head coach Sigi Schmid, however, isn't buying that idea.

"Our advantage is our 40,000 fans that come," Schmid offered. "The turf has played a part in the past but our real advantage is our crowd, our fans and our atmosphere ... That's our advantage."