Gaussian blur, other blur, no blur

I am working on finishing up a team photo- a HS, UAS football type of picture, where there are several rows of players in uniform, looking stolidly ahead, etc. nothing too unusual about it, except the lighting: Fill flash was used, but the light was very late afternoon, diffuse through partial cloud cover, and almost straight on the subjects. It wasn’t too hard to get the color balance right, but it seemed counter intuitive to set the temp in PS (actually Lightroom) to around 4,000 when the ‘warmth’ was so apparent. Anyway, that’s an aside.
The matter I am trying to deal with is at the top of the photo, and at the top sides, where the bleacher seats are very apparent, and quite in focus. They are raised and painted aluminum seats on concrete, so that you see about a two inch horizontal strip of purple every couple of feet in the places no one is seated. I’ve tried Gaussian blur at various levels, but am not thrilled with the results. I’ve thought of adding a gradient, but not sure where to go on that. At the top will be large letters with the team name.

It’ll look all right if I don’t do any blur or other technique to lessen the impact of the horizontal lines, or so I believe, as it’s not been done in years before, and most folks looking at it will see the players they know, and not be concerned with what I see as a glaring deficiency….

Or will they?

I am working on finishing up a team photo- a HS, UAS football type of picture, where there are several rows of players in uniform, looking stolidly ahead, etc. nothing too unusual about it, except the lighting: Fill flash was used, but the light was very late afternoon, diffuse through partial cloud cover, and almost straight on the subjects. It wasn’t too hard to get the color balance right, but it seemed counter intuitive to set the temp in PS (actually Lightroom) to around 4,000 when the ‘warmth’ was so apparent. Anyway, that’s an aside.

The matter I am trying to deal with is at the top of the photo, and at the top sides, where the bleacher seats are very apparent, and quite in focus. They are raised and painted aluminum seats on concrete, so that you see about a two inch horizontal strip of purple every couple of feet in the places no one is seated. I’ve tried Gaussian blur at various levels, but am not thrilled with the results. I’ve thought of adding a gradient, but not sure where to go on that. At the top will be large letters with the team name.

It’ll look all right if I don’t do any blur or other technique to lessen the impact of the horizontal lines, or so I believe, as it’s not been done in years before, and most folks looking at it will see the players they know, and not be concerned with what I see as a glaring deficiency….