The Hall of Fame game between the Green Bay Packers and the Inidianapolis Colts was cancelled after Hall of Fame President and Executive Director David Baker decided to cancel the game due to field conditions.

Apparently some of the paint that was put down last night after the induction ceremony had hardened in the end zone and the middle of the field. Upon further inspection by the two teams and Hall of Fame personnel, the decision was made to cancel the game.

Despite the fact that the league is not affiliated with the Hall itself, they are business partners. The Hall of Fame will now have to refund the fans who purchased tickets $4 million dollars. The expectation is the league will somehow help the Hall recoup some of that money. 

This is a real gut punch for the NFL. It’s embarrassing on so many levels. Hall of Fame weekend is a marqee event on the NFL calendar and to have the game canceled over a field issue is a bad look for the league. 

Of course Baker fell on the sword and took ownership of the situation. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will gladly stand by while someone else is blamed but the reality is, the league should accept some responsibility for this as well. After all the surface at Tom Benson Stadium came from the Saints. It was a league approved field. 

Long term, it really doesn’t matter. It was only a pre-season game. Where it does matter is it was the first live football game in six months and people will always remember the Hall of Fame game that wasn’t.