Here's why the Chiefs get to use the Raiders' practice facility for Super Bowl LVIII and not the 49ers

The Kansas City Chiefs will be practicing for Super Bowl LVIII at the Las Vegas Raiders' facility in Henderson, Nevada. It's a little ironic that they'll be getting prepared for a Super Bowl in Allegiant Stadium and using the practice facilities of their most bitter rival to do it. 

The San Francisco 49ers are practicing at the UNLV practice field. The decision has actually proved to be problematic for the 49ers according to CBS Sports reporter Jonathan Jones. 

Sources tell CBS Sports some 49ers staffers are not pleased with the practice field at UNLV, where the NFL designated the NFC champion practice during Super Bowl week. At issue, sources say, is the firmness of the natural grass the NFL has laid over UNLV's artificial turf ahead of the 49ers practicing there.

Jones goes on to explain that this isn't an issue of safety, but rather an issue of personal preference for San Francisco.

So how exactly are things decided when it comes to practice facility assignments for the Super Bowl?

Why do the Chiefs get the NFL facility and not the 49ers?

According to NFL Executive Vice President of Club Business and League Events, Peter O'Reilly, the explanation for this decision is really quite simple. The NFL places the team that is declared the home team at the local NFL facilities. The team that is declared as the away team practices at the predominant local university. That is, of course, unless the teams are playing in a city where there are two NFL practice facilities, such as Los Angeles or New York. 

If you'll recall in Super Bowl LIV, the first meeting between the Chiefs and 49ers, Kansas City got to practice in Davie, Florida at the Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southern University, where the Miami Dolphins hold their practices. That's because just like in this game, the AFC was also the designated home team. This rotates on a yearly basis. This will actually be only the second time in the Chiefs' four Super Bowl appearances since Super Bowl LIV that they've been the designated home team.