Fieldturf: how long?

[MplsBison]

Just curious, how long do you think it will be until every DI football stadium has it?

A lot of I-A teams have it. Even NFL teams are getting it (Patriots).

I guess no matter how much technology you put into grass, it gets torn up.



A lot of I-AA teams are getting it or have it.


Are there any that are planning to hold out as long as possible?

[89Hen]

Are there any that are planning to hold out as long as possible?
I hope as many as possible. Grass is still the way to go if you're in the Mid-Atlantic, south and far west IMO. The biggest problem with grass is the time of year in which football is played. If it were a spring/summer sport, field condition would not be an issue. The Hens just spent a lot of money rebuilding the drainage and field last off-season so I doubt we'll see fake stuff anytime soon in the Tub.

[MplsBison]

The Hens just spent a lot of money rebuilding the drainage and field last off-season so I doubt we'll see fake stuff anytime soon in the Tub.

Rutgers and Penn both have it and they're the same climate as UD.

[SoCon48]

I hope as many as possible. Grass is still the way to go if you're in the Mid-Atlantic, south and far west IMO. The biggest problem with grass is the time of year in which football is played. If it were a spring/summer sport, field condition would not be an issue. The Hens just spent a lot of money rebuilding the drainage and field last off-season so I doubt we'll see fake stuff anytime soon in the Tub.

Plus if the football field is used for a multi-purpose field as well as practice, artificial is the only way to go.

[Pard94]

Lafayette (Mid Atlantic) got it this year and it looks great and seems to "perform" well.

[89Hen]

You would know more about it than me, but you might want to tell that to Patriots fans.

Also, Rutgers and Penn both have it and they're the same climate as UD.
NFL vs. I-AA budget? :confused:

UD is just about the northernmost for grass, so Rutgers is actually tougher IMO. Penn's Franklin Field is astroturf.

The one that puzzles me is William and Mary. They had one of the best grass fields around and they went fieldturf last year. :nonono2:

[lizrdgizrd]

NFL vs. I-AA budget? :confused:

UD is just about the northernmost for grass, so Rutgers is actually tougher IMO. Penn's Franklin Field is astroturf.

The one that puzzles me is William and Mary. They had one of the best grass fields around and they went fieldturf last year. :nonono2:
And look at their record! Maybe they should think about going back to grass. :smiley_wi

[89Hen]

Lafayette (Mid Atlantic) got it this year and it looks great and seems to "perform" well.
"Grass is still the way to go if you're in the Mid-Atlantic, south and far west IMO."

Sure field turf performs well, but IMO grass is what football is supposed to be played on. If you can grow grass, grow grass.

I-AA 2006, you are correct. If you use your football field for other sports and practice, fake stuff is probably better. We are fortunate to not have anything other than one or two high school games on Tubby Raymond Field.

[andy7171]

Towson currently has the old style carpet that is OH SO fun to fall down on. They are replacing it with Field Turf in the next year. We used to have one of the finest grass fields, but since we share the field with the mens lacrosse team it did get torn up in the early spring.

I am of the mind that if you can have a grass field you should. But I understand that it costs money to maintain it. Sucks.

[andy7171]

NFL vs. I-AA budget? :confused:

UD is just about the northernmost for grass, so Rutgers is actually tougher IMO. Penn's Franklin Field is astroturf.

The one that puzzles me is William and Mary. They had one of the best grass fields around and they went fieldturf last year. :nonono2:
I completely agree. When I played down there, it was like a golf green. An entire field of golf green caliber grass.

[DrG]

Installing Field Turf is the best thing UMass ever did. Anybody who remembers our mess of a grass field (JMU fans especially) will understand.
The players like it better than natural grass because there are no divots. I used to be in favor of natural grass, but advances in technology have won me over to FT.

[GannonFan]

I like grass and if done right, I still like it better than Field Turf. 89 was right, there are tons of climates in the US where grass works just fine so there's no real issue with having it. Obviously some of the more northern regimes (like UMass for instance) just aren't places were grass works in the colder months. Also, as in W&M's case, some schools just do not have the space on campus for practice fields and must use them for practice or even other sports. If that's the case, Field Turf is the best bet. Other than that, if you don't have to go to Field Turf, then I prefer grass. I still think Field Turf looks kinda funny at night or in the rain - it's too shiny. Just my opinion, of course. :smiley_wi

[GoAgs72]

UC Davis has artificial turf in their new stadium despite having the climate and campus expertise to grow beautiful grass. Any sod field has the potential to turn into a mud bowl with a number of uses during wet weather. In muddy conditions you can't see the lines or player's numbers. In the D2 playoffs a number of years ago UC Davis played Carson-Newman on a field in terrible shape and I think that decided the outcome. The newer turfs are easier on players, fans,TV crews and maintenance staffs. However, I did particularly like one game against Sac State at Hughes Stadium in a rainstorm on grass. We won 13-10 but it was a real mudbowl and the players after the game took turns sliding down the field.

[89Hen]

I still think Field Turf looks kinda funny at night or in the rain - it's too shiny.
Giants Stadium! :eek: I can't even watch a game on TV from there. Dark, yet shiny. : smh :

[kats89]

SHSU's Bowers Stadium is due new playing surface before 2007 football season. I think it is the field turf.

[MplsBison]

89, Penn's field has fieldturf.

[GannonFan]

89, Penn's field has fieldturf.

Actually, since 2004, it has SprinTurf, a competitor I think of Field Turf. And yup, it too looks shiny and weird at night or when it rains. :nod:

http://www.pennathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1700&KEY=&ATCLID=66184

[GGASU]

I am surprised more teams don't go for the colored field turf like Boise State.

Think of Clemson with an Orange and White field (with purple outlining the numbers) That would be pretty darn cool.

We practiced a couple times at ASU on the old turf, it was terrible. You would lose all the skin on your palms when you were tackled hard.

[Tealblood]

we have grass and the only problem is if it rains the night before or during the day of or actually during game---if we play the next week at home it seems to go fast in a hurry.

for rains i am talking about frog stranglers or gully washers light rain seems to be no problem

[jmuroller]

FieldTurf is the way to go. It's cheaper than astroturf and if you would put grass in like UD then you would have to spend around 1 mil to make it top notch. You can use fieldturf year round and have unlimited playing hours on it for almost all sports and activities. The big upside compared to grass is once you install it is basically care free. The occasional cleaning two or three times a year and thats it. With grass you have to spend a large amount of money on labor and manhours along with equipment and supplies to keep it up. I've heard that FT is even softer than grass. I understand why schools like W&M went to FT since now they don't have the worry about a huge downpour late in the season creating a mudbowl and they can use for practices and such.

[jmuroller]

I am surprised more teams don't go for the colored field turf like Boise State.

Think of Clemson with an Orange and White field (with purple outlining the numbers) That would be pretty darn cool.

We practiced a couple times at ASU on the old turf, it was terrible. You would lose all the skin on your palms when you were tackled hard.


The NCAA mandates that all turf must be green. Boise St. is the only school that has an exception waiver for non-green turf.

[tarmac]

APP has it and is also going to install it on the new baseball field now under constuction. We have had some form of artificial turf since the early 70's.

[danefan]

Albany will be going to fieldturf when the new stadium is built.

My old high school is currently in the process of putting in field turf also.
It takes about 8 years to pay off the cost of field turf versus the cost to maintain a grass field in the northeast. Not taking into account the expanded possibilities a multiple use surface creates. Right now the field turf is expected to last about 10 years before having to be resurfaced so you are looking at about 2 years of "free" use. That of course depends on the weather conditions (sun exposure is the worst thing for them).

[ngineer]

As much as we whined about the two losses in the slop the past two years, I still prefer the grass and dirt. The Fieldturf makes sense only if the field is being used for multiple sports. But the field conditions are what make football unique. You have to 'deal with it', just like in life. Part of overcoming the 'adversity' that football preaches it teaches. Taking away one of the key elements that can affect the game takes away from that mantra as trying to 'sanitize' the game. In life, not everyone gets a 'true bounce'. Same way in sports. 'Deal with it'. A wet field used to be referred to at "the great equalizer'. Lehigh, unfortunately, got short end of that cliche against Holy Cross and Albany, but I still wouldn't want the game played any other way.

[andy7171]

I am surprised more teams don't go for the colored field turf like Boise State.

Think of Clemson with an Orange and White field (with purple outlining the numbers) That would be pretty darn cool.

We practiced a couple times at ASU on the old turf, it was terrible. You would lose all the skin on your palms when you were tackled hard.
The idea of an orange field could be the gayest of all time. I can't watch a Boise State game because my eye freakout. All the skin on your palms? PALMS? :eyebrow: Try all the skin on your fore arm or even worse, your calf.

[WUTNDITWAA]

I used to be in favor of natural grass, but advances in technology have won me over to FT.


It may be the only time this week that you and I agree. Field Turf is definitely the way to go. You would think one could always grow grass easily in Chattanooga. We saw two years ago that wasn't the case.

[SoCon48]

APP has it and is also going to install it on the new baseball field now under constuction. We have had some form of artificial turf since the early 70's.

1968

[89Hen]

89, Penn's field has fieldturf.
Well, Franklin was Astroturf my entire life, so going from Astro to fieldturf is a huge improvement.

[turfdoc]

Field turf is not that great. In the 1970's there was a big push to put in Astroturf, It looked great on TV, no mudbowls, therefor less injuries....right?


Wrong. As the turf aged and was exposed to the elements the fibers broke down and the turf became more and more dangerous. Schools around the country struggled to get it out because of safety of the players. Of course in football there has never been a definitive study that shows increased injuries with Astroturf yet anyone who plays coaches or commentates would say that there is an increase (lack of data because of privacy laws).

Field turf has only been around for 11 years (installed in washington stadium) that stuff was replaced, if I am not mistaken the longest any turf infill system has been in place is in the meadowlands and it is 6 years old and being replaced this winter.

I have been to many installs and the companies still haven't figured out the best way to install it yet. Management (weekly) is required to keep your warranty valid....although the prescribed management is not defined by the company...or anyone else for that matter.

When it was first introduced te primary concern with this system was going to be weed control in the sand crumb rubber layer. That turned out not to be a problem.....the reason being is the turf gets balzing hot roughly 140 f on a consistent basis. Probably leadin to an increase in plantar fascia and achiles injuries. That is also because soft+hot= injuries. been shown with wrestlers running on the mats.

I have recommended turf infill systems to high use schools with limited space, but let's admit the environment and the saftey of our athletes would be better if we just built more grass fields. One of the best grass fields I have ever been on was Rutgers and that was replaced...because the coach thought it would help with recruiting. It has.... NFL teams are usually paid by the company to put in their sythetic turf as it will help with sales because fans, athletes, coaches, and AD, will think the NFL has it...it must be the best.

More grass fields gives more green space, eliminates urban heating, is the sfaest for our athletes. The NFL did a study and I think over 85% of players feel the synthetic turf infill systems will cause them more bodily harm in the long run. They are on it every day and they prefer grass for safety. The TV loves synthetic because it looks good.

[ncguitarplyr]

i had the idea for app's turf to be black with gold endzones lol joking although i think black would look better than most colors...but yeah im not a fan of real grass i like turf and i wish it was mandated that way so that it made it an even playing field....its not fair that one team is used to grass and gets to play on grass or viceversa

[GannonFan]

As much as we whined about the two losses in the slop the past two years, I still prefer the grass and dirt. The Fieldturf makes sense only if the field is being used for multiple sports. But the field conditions are what make football unique. You have to 'deal with it', just like in life. Part of overcoming the 'adversity' that football preaches it teaches. Taking away one of the key elements that can affect the game takes away from that mantra as trying to 'sanitize' the game. In life, not everyone gets a 'true bounce'. Same way in sports. 'Deal with it'. A wet field used to be referred to at "the great equalizer'. Lehigh, unfortunately, got short end of that cliche against Holy Cross and Albany, but I still wouldn't want the game played any other way.

Amen to that, I'm all for the little variables that impact games. Heck, if we wanted to take the field conditions out of the mix, why don't we just put up domes for every team, thereby taking out wind and sun glare and temperature? We could even go further and put in noise dampening panels because, let's face it, homefield advantage from crowd noise just takes the fairness out of the game and we can't have that! xidiotx xidiotx

[GannonFan]

i had the idea for app's turf to be black with gold endzones lol joking although i think black would look better than most colors...but yeah im not a fan of real grass i like turf and i wish it was mandated that way so that it made it an even playing field....its not fair that one team is used to grass and gets to play on grass or viceversa

Hey, my post above is a perfect retort to this sanitization of football - long live the variables!!!! :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

[89Hen]

i like turf and i wish it was mandated that way so that it made it an even playing field....its not fair that one team is used to grass and gets to play on grass or viceversa
:confused: :confused: :eek: :eek: :confused: :confused: : smh : : smh :

[SoCon48]

Field turf is not that great. In the 1970's there was a big push to put in Astroturf, It looked great on TV, no mudbowls, therefor less injuries....right?


Wrong. As the turf aged and was exposed to the elements the fibers broke down and the turf became more and more dangerous. Schools around the country struggled to get it out because of safety of the players. Of course in football there has never been a definitive study that shows increased injuries with Astroturf yet anyone who plays coaches or commentates would say that there is an increase (lack of data because of privacy laws).

Field turf has only been around for 11 years (installed in washington stadium) that stuff was replaced, if I am not mistaken the longest any turf infill system has been in place is in the meadowlands and it is 6 years old and being replaced this winter.

I have been to many installs and the companies still haven't figured out the best way to install it yet. Management (weekly) is required to keep your warranty valid....although the prescribed management is not defined by the company...or anyone else for that matter.

When it was first introduced te primary concern with this system was going to be weed control in the sand crumb rubber layer. That turned out not to be a problem.....the reason being is the turf gets balzing hot roughly 140 f on a consistent basis. Probably leadin to an increase in plantar fascia and achiles injuries. That is also because soft+hot= injuries. been shown with wrestlers running on the mats.

I have recommended turf infill systems to high use schools with limited space, but let's admit the environment and the saftey of our athletes would be better if we just built more grass fields. One of the best grass fields I have ever been on was Rutgers and that was replaced...because the coach thought it would help with recruiting. It has.... NFL teams are usually paid by the company to put in their sythetic turf as it will help with sales because fans, athletes, coaches, and AD, will think the NFL has it...it must be the best.

More grass fields gives more green space, eliminates urban heating, is the sfaest for our athletes. The NFL did a study and I think over 85% of players feel the synthetic turf infill systems will cause them more bodily harm in the long run. They are on it every day and they prefer grass for safety. The TV loves synthetic because it looks good.

Nothing is harder than a high school field that has been trampled bare by late November. Like concrete.

[Walkon79]

I liked the home field advantage our mud in November allowed, but over the past year or so, I've changed my opinion. Many of our teams recruit FBS drop-downs at WR, CB for the speed, and turf only enhances that advantage.

[turfdoc]

Nothing is harder than a high school field that has been trampled bare by late November. Like concrete.

Well lots of things are harder :smiley_wi

the problem with most high schools is they try to play 8 events a week on one field plus run throughs and band practice. If communities would invest in green space it would be better for everybody.

As I said in high use limited space situations I have recommended turf infill systems, but they are not the best for the athletes, environment or even for the budgets of the schools.

[ButlerGSU]

Just curious, how long do you think it will be until every DI football stadium has it?


I would never expect to see it at Paulson. No reason to have it.

[JMU_MRD'03-'07]

I'd say it looks like there won't be any more grass fields left, but at schools that have big ag. departments you won't see turf going in any time soon.

[turfdoc]

I'd say it looks like there won't be any more grass fields left, but at schools that have big ag. departments you won't see turf going in any time soon.


Rutgers has one of the most prestigious centers for turfgrass science in the world and they went to turf infill. Rarely do academic departments have any say over the athletic departments when big money is involved.


Give it a few years and soon there will be a backlash (same as with the carpet style)

[hapapp]

1968

From GoASU.com:
It was the first facility in either North or South Carolina to install artificial turf, with Appalachian and Elon staged the first game on fake grass in the Carolinas, Oct. 3, 1970.

[SoCon48]

From GoASU.com:
It was the first facility in either North or South Carolina to install artificial turf, with Appalachian and Elon staged the first game on fake grass in the Carolinas, Oct. 3, 1970.

Well I guess you could say 1970 was the "early 70's."


OK. What was the first sport fielded at ASU?

[Baldy]

I would never expect to see it at Paulson. No reason to have it.
May God bless the poor soul who would have to tell Roger that we were installing rubber grass at Paulson. xlolx

GSU has earned the reputation of having one of, if not, the best playing surface in football on any level, period. Our natural field ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

[ngineer]

Well, Franklin was Astroturf my entire life, so going from Astro to fieldturf is a huge improvement.

I was on that stuff in the early '70's--might as well have played in a parking lot....:nonono2:

[bcrawf]

It is 99% certain that UNI will be installing a removable type of FieldTurf in the Dome now that we have a real basketball facility right next door.

Should be ready for next year. And actually the Astroturf we had in there before had an extra pad underneath it and it really was not that bad, IMO...

[chattanoogamocs]

I have to admit, while I was not a proponent of plastic grass...when I walk out on Davenport Field (Finley Stadium)...sometimes I almost forget that it is not real. The stuff is amazing. While I love the "nostalgia" of the real thing, I have become a convert...there is never a day where it doesn't look good.

I think the biggest advantage of it is that over its lifespan, it is actually cheaper than the proper maintenance of the real stuff. Knowing how cost conscious most FCS schools have to be, it can also be considered an economic decision.

[YaleFootballFan]

In the Ivy, fieldturf appears to be the way to go. Dartmouth, Harvard and Princeton have all switched from natural grass to fieldturf within the last year. Columbia added fieldturf in 2005.

Of the eight Ivy stadiums, only two still have natural grass: Brown and Yale. Who knows either one (or both) will switch to fieldturf anytime in the near future.

[Kill'em]

May God bless the poor soul who would have to tell Roger that we were installing rubber grass at Paulson. xlolx

GSU has earned the reputation of having one of, if not, the best playing surface in football on any level, period. Our natural field ain't going anywhere anytime soon.
Our field held up to a game played in Hurricane Hugo. I don't think we'll see the fake stuff in Our House. Finley Stadium, however, is another story. That was the worst field I had ever seen. I was glad to see field turf installed there.

[JMG1MON]

The following NEC teams have fieldturf or a variation of it:
Monmouth
CCSU (the first to install it I believe)
Robert Morris
Stony Brook (left conference, but I will throw it in there for this discussion)
Wagner
St. Francis has a Sportexe artificial playing surface


Not sure on Sacred Heart, but I think they have some type of turf

[proasu89]

Well I guess you could say 1970 was the "early 70's."


OK. What was the first sport fielded at ASU?
Baseball, 1903....I've heard that facilities enhancement promo quite a few times this season.:smiley_wi

[jstate83]

There are a few school's here that have it.
Ole Miss, Millsaps, and USM all have it.

Ms. State grows turf for Superbowls so you know their natural grass field is the shat.

Hope JSU stick with natural grass.
That "plastic" is not something you want to be near down here in AUGUST.
The heat that comes from that stuff is a nightmare.

Looks and feels great though. :thumbsup:

[SoCon48]

Baseball, 1903....I've heard that facilities enhancement promo quite a few times this season.:smiley_wi

Last night was the first time I noticed it.

[jmuroller]

The Meadowlands installed FieldTurf in 2003. FieldTurf is by far the best thing going right now. As bad a astroturf was on players body's, FieldTurf is that much better.