Fans Upset Over White Safety Netting
So much for Rock the Red, the safety netting at Verizon Center is now white. The Caps say the color is supposed to be better on the eyes and improve contrast, and Comcast says it’s supposed to be better for television, but the reaction from fans was hardly positive. Twitter went nuts with complaints even before the game started.
“Seriously, the new white netting behind the nets have GOT TO GO!!!!” said @3Mile. “New white nets are horrible. Site line is worse,” @npal16 wrote.
The league-mandated nets originally went up in 2002 after the death of a young girl in Columbus due to a puck that went over the boards. Fans complained about that netting as well, but it’s been up ever since.
“It’s giving me a headache. Everything is blurry, so we’re watching on the JumboTron,” said Katie, from Columbia, Md.
As more teams, such as the Caps, Flyers and Blues switch from black netting to white, fans apparently have a new thing to get used to, particularly if they’re sitting behind it. Thus far, the Caps believe they will.
UPDATE: It’s gone now.
Nicole Weissman contributed to this report.