Every time the San Francisco 49ers visit another team's facility for joint practices, the contrast is hard to miss. Around the NFL, many complexes comfortably host two full rosters. By comparison, San Francisco's facility in Santa Clara—adjacent to Levi's Stadium—can feel tight for just one.
Much of the recent conversation has centered on the nearby electrical substation. Some inside and outside the building have wondered whether its proximity could be linked to the team's recent injury concerns. However, one well-connected insider doesn't believe that would be enough to prompt a relocation.
In a recent mailbag for the San Francisco Standard, Tim Kawakami suggested the 49ers could eventually move their practice facility—but primarily due to space limitations, not the substation, which has been there for decades.
"They could use more room," Kawakami noted. "The football office building is very old and cramped. I could see them eventually moving the football offices and fields to another, nearby location — not because of the substation, but because everything changes and gets updated eventually."
Finding a suitable location would be the challenge. Real estate is scarce and expensive in most major California markets. Still, several NFL teams operate their practice facilities away from their home stadiums. The Los Angeles Rams, for example, train in Woodland Hills—about 27 miles from SoFi Stadium.
A move could address two issues at once. It would quiet speculation about the substation's impact while, more importantly, providing the 49ers with a more modern, spacious headquarters.
Despite occasional reports of agents and players questioning the substation's presence, Kawakami does not believe it will affect the franchise's ability to attract talent.
"If the 49ers are the top bidder and right fit, they'll get the free agent," Kawakami wrote. "The 49ers have been practicing next to this substation for decades. The players are fully aware of it. The buzzing is unmistakable. They joke about it, but do you think a single player has made a career decision based on the substation's placement? No."
Ultimately, if the 49ers explore a new practice facility, it appears far more likely to be about modernization and expansion than anything else.
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