The view of players sliding and sliding on Cleveland’s turf last Sunday was comical to some, unsettling to others. After all, it was only the first day of November, but a winter explosion had hit the NFL.
As the calendar progresses and Mother Nature does her thing, the quality of the playing surfaces comes into play more and more. Of course, this doesn’t seem like much of a challenge for indoor artificial grass facilities like Houston, Indianapolis or Minnesota. As a 2019 study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine notes, “Betting on artificial turf increases the threat of reducing frame injuries and this box surface has a causal effect on injury rates due to lack of ability of artificial turf to release an athlete’s shoe “».
And the middle of the Browns, JC Tretter, president of the players’ union, asked all NFL stadiums to set up grass-based grass courts; this season, 17 stadiums have it, while thirteen have artificial surfaces.
Regardless of what the games are played on, the ultimate vital duty, especially as we progress from November to December, is to make sure they are in the most productive form imaginable.
“These are sports surfaces for any user, and that’s what we focus on from a school perspective,” says Jimmy Simpson, president of the Sports Turf Managers Association. Its organization includes 32 local chapters and 2,700 box managers for all sports degrees: schools, schools, parks and professional recreational and sports services.
“We try to treat them all the same, looking for a safe foot for all athletes, from professionals to little league baseball. No grooves and holes, surfaces with as much grass as possible, with a smart rolling ball. A predictable surface a in achieving each and every time The more consistent the surface, the safer the surface and the athlete can come to terms with their talents and let their talents shine.
“Our coaches don’t need our surfaces for a game, for any athlete of any age, delight or game point. “
At the highest level, where cash is not a problem, there may still be controversy. The 49ers lost several players, adding 2019 defensive rookie Nick Bosa at Week 2 at MetLife Stadium, which has Field Turf Classic HD. and recertified the box after that game.
Overall, however, the effect on game surfaces was minimized compared to the early days of synthetic turf that almost resembled gambling in cement. There is still the notorious story of bears’ open receiver, Wendell Davis, who tossed his patellar tendons. during the same game at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia in 1993.
“We have an independent cash inspector who is not part of a club or the NFL and who reports, certifies and reviews all of our surfaces,” said Phil Bogle, the league’s director of gaming operations. “We inspect them both in one season and in both, then we do our reviews and there are figures that are seized weekly through the box manager.
“Throughout the season, you have the weather as vital, depending on the surface and surface usage. Our cash control requires mandatory practices for herbal and artificial surfaces, and criteria that all groups must meet each week. . »
As the weeks progress towards falling temperatures, snow, freezing rain and strong winds, box managers keep pace. Even in places like Arizona and Las Vegas, which use indoor stadium turf, it’s to make sure those surfaces are kept to the standards.
But the focus is almost on fields such as Buffalo (A-Turf Titan), New England (Field Turf) and Cincinnati (Twenty-Four/Seven Synthetic), as well as lawns from Denver, Kansas City, Chicago and Green Bay. Grass fields have heating formulas underneath to prevent frost. Even MetLife Stadium, an artificial turf, has added that formula this year.
Bogles adds that some groups covered the fields with a canvas and pumped heat under the canvas to prevent the surface from freezing.
“For the artificial year-round, they take care of the field, they do whatever they want to prepare it to load (rubber crumbs),” said Dave Gardi, senior vice president of football operations at the NFL. to maintain the lawn, whether in Florida or Chicago, will definitely re plant in Florida, but it may not be because it is less difficult to grow grass. Chicago would possibly have to do the task several times and that’s done as part of our football operations with express regulations in place.
STMA Simpson says that if the NFL were looking for all the fields to be in looming, as Tretter suggested, his organization could help get there.
“There are enough suppliers,” Simpson says.
“We hope the courts in all grades have a professional sports box manager who can provide data to coaches, players and homeowners to all grades. We propose to run with scientists and proceed to paint the surfaces of the pits of professionals, educators and locals. youth clubs.
“We would love to get to a point where scientists, athletes and team owners can agree on the surfaces on which to play. “
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