Artificial Turf

Crumb rubber and cancer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28493060/

UH finds 58% higher injury rate on turf: https://www.uhhospitals.org/for-cli.../2019/08/artificial-turf-versus-natural-grass

NFL players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries when playing on artificial turf. Of those non-contact injuries, players have a 32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf and a staggering 69% higher rate of non-contact foot/ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.

Again, I guess I see why colleges and high schools prefer turf, although we were somehow able to make it work for decades before turf showed up so yeah. But the NFL has no excuse.
 

It’s clearly inferior to well kept grass for injury purposes

you have proof turf causes cancer? Big, if true

Bad grass is worse than turf for injuries in my experiences. And worse for product quality.

If you could guarantee rose bowl grass for everyone I am all in on grass

exactly. Most grass fields in the NFL are subject to either winter weather or extreme storms (FL). Three teams have a reliable grass situation - Santa Clara in a mild climate, and Arizona and Las Vegas, indoor setups recently built in deserts with tons of sunshine and available space.

The environmental impact of maintaining those unnatural fields is also likely extreme. The water, the fertilizer, the energy to move the field. All probably add up to more than a FieldTurf solution.

Has anyone studied if US Bank Stadium could support a grass field without doing the site-infeasible tray thing, since half of it is basically a greenhouse?
 


Crumb rubber and cancer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28493060/

UH finds 58% higher injury rate on turf: https://www.uhhospitals.org/for-cli.../2019/08/artificial-turf-versus-natural-grass

NFL players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries when playing on artificial turf. Of those non-contact injuries, players have a 32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf and a staggering 69% higher rate of non-contact foot/ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.

Again, I guess I see why colleges and high schools prefer turf, although we were somehow able to make it work for decades before turf showed up so yeah. But the NFL has no excuse.
Los Angeles in particular has no excuse. I'm really confused why SoFi was built with the fake stuff. The answer is probably the multi-purpose intent of it, so it can host other things.
 

Los Angeles in particular has no excuse. I'm really confused why SoFi was built with the fake stuff. The answer is probably the multi-purpose intent of it, so it can host other things.
Also probably land at a premium. The Arizona/Vegas solutions roll the tray of grass outside to let it sit in the sun, correct?
 


Also probably land at a premium. The Arizona/Vegas solutions roll the tray of grass outside to let it sit in the sun, correct?

Plants grow indoors, surely there’s a way for grass to thrive inside a stadium.

I know the U has a turfgrass science program; it would be interesting to see what they could come up with. We pride ourselves so much on innovation— team 3M with the U to develop sustainable indoor turf specifically for athletic events.
 
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exactly. Most grass fields in the NFL are subject to either winter weather or extreme storms (FL). Three teams have a reliable grass situation - Santa Clara in a mild climate, and Arizona and Las Vegas, indoor setups recently built in deserts with tons of sunshine and available space.

The environmental impact of maintaining those unnatural fields is also likely extreme. The water, the fertilizer, the energy to move the field. All probably add up to more than a FieldTurf solution.

Has anyone studied if US Bank Stadium could support a grass field without doing the site-infeasible tray thing, since half of it is basically a greenhouse?
Allianz field in Saint Paul is natural grass. They roll out Led lights on wheels and there is a heating system underground. They do the same thing in Green Bay. It could be done anywhere. Just requires more employees and a higher water bill. A lot of times Corporations donate equipment in order to get an advertising deal with the team. Toro and Pentair did this with the Twins.

The field tray is the way to go in the future. I toured State Farm stadium a few years ago and they had the field outside while they were setting up for a monster truck rally.

Synthetic turf is linked to cancer because of the rubber pellets used as infill. Those get in players mouths and eyes all the time. I hate them. People love turf because its a consistent playing surface that you can use all the time. Its life span is around 6 years and it costs around a million bucks for a football field. You still need to drag it and clean it. Natural grass can be done for much cheaper but the maintenance time is exponentially larger.

I am a proud UMN Turfgrass grad!
 

Crumb rubber and cancer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28493060/

UH finds 58% higher injury rate on turf: https://www.uhhospitals.org/for-cli.../2019/08/artificial-turf-versus-natural-grass

NFL players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries when playing on artificial turf. Of those non-contact injuries, players have a 32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf and a staggering 69% higher rate of non-contact foot/ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.

Again, I guess I see why colleges and high schools prefer turf, although we were somehow able to make it work for decades before turf showed up so yeah. But the NFL has no excuse.
Your first link is not in any legal system proof that playing on turf causes cancer.
 




Los Angeles in particular has no excuse. I'm really confused why SoFi was built with the fake stuff. The answer is probably the multi-purpose intent of it, so it can host other things.
SoFi Stadium can't host a Final Four. The roof is basically a giant carport over the seating bowl, and is not fully enclosed.
 

Allianz field in Saint Paul is natural grass. They roll out Led lights on wheels and there is a heating system underground. They do the same thing in Green Bay. It could be done anywhere. Just requires more employees and a higher water bill. A lot of times Corporations donate equipment in order to get an advertising deal with the team. Toro and Pentair did this with the Twins.

The field tray is the way to go in the future. I toured State Farm stadium a few years ago and they had the field outside while they were setting up for a monster truck rally.

Synthetic turf is linked to cancer because of the rubber pellets used as infill. Those get in players mouths and eyes all the time. I hate them. People love turf because its a consistent playing surface that you can use all the time. Its life span is around 6 years and it costs around a million bucks for a football field. You still need to drag it and clean it. Natural grass can be done for much cheaper but the maintenance time is exponentially larger.

I am a proud UMN Turfgrass grad!
What could be done for US Bank Stadium, where it needs to be able to host other events that would require the field surface be completely covered (monster trucks, for example)?

In other words, how can they "save" the field when they more or less need access to the bare concrete underneath. Would seem to be a pickle, in such situations.
 

Im assuming that is why they said it was "linked" to cancer and not that it definitely causes cancer. Many things are linked to cancer but may not in any legal system show proof.
Yeah. Like the sun, air, etc

it was posted in response asking for proof. No proof has been Provided



And the post literally says this

“The scientific community has yet to establish a definitive link between exposure to artificial turf and an elevated cancer risk”


so when you say it says linked you are straight up either posting without reading or you are lying
 



Yeah. Like the sun, air, etc

it was posted in response asking for proof. No proof has been Provided



And the post literally says this

“The scientific community has yet to establish a definitive link between exposure to artificial turf and an elevated cancer risk”


so when you say it says linked you are straight up either posting without reading or you are lying

Randomized controlled trials are so 2019. This is 2022. Correlation is causation if it agrees with what we already think and know. Silly to even dispute, or require evidence.
 

Allianz field in Saint Paul is natural grass. They roll out Led lights on wheels and there is a heating system underground. They do the same thing in Green Bay. It could be done anywhere. Just requires more employees and a higher water bill. A lot of times Corporations donate equipment in order to get an advertising deal with the team. Toro and Pentair did this with the Twins.
The Twins recycle their rain water.
 

and, like it or not, have to consider the cost of maintenance.

For a HS or small college program that might use its field for multiple games - varsity, JV, Junior High, maybe soccer - there is cost of maintenance for the field. Also, that field is going to get beat up by the end of the season.

Turf is more expensive to install, but much less expensive to maintain, and maintains quality through a long season.

One or two "rain" games on a grass field can tear it up.

those are all considerations in the real world.
 

and, like it or not, have to consider the cost of maintenance.

For a HS or small college program that might use its field for multiple games - varsity, JV, Junior High, maybe soccer - there is cost of maintenance for the field. Also, that field is going to get beat up by the end of the season.

Turf is more expensive to install, but much less expensive to maintain, and maintains quality through a long season.

One or two "rain" games on a grass field can tear it up.

those are all considerations in the real world.
Ever since lacrosse has gone mainstream in MN high schools…if you have a lacrosse team and this don’t give the field a season off, it just can’t recover. Teams have literally had to pay to play games renting turf facilities in recent years because of unplayable field conditions.
Lakeville north moved one (got turf the next year)
Eagan moved one (got turf just two years ago)
Rosemount has moved a couple over the years (got turf two years ago)
 

Ever since lacrosse has gone mainstream in MN high schools…if you have a lacrosse team and this don’t give the field a season off, it just can’t recover. Teams have literally had to pay to play games renting turf facilities in recent years because of unplayable field conditions.
Lakeville north moved one (got turf the next year)
Eagan moved one (got turf just two years ago)
Rosemount has moved a couple over the years (got turf two years ago)
Yeah and for a lot of schools where land is limited, turf is important because the fields can get used by multiple teams without destroying them. Also teams can practice on them without fear of ruining the turf. Some schools also put domes on them in the winter and get year-round use. So for high schools they are pretty important. For the NFL or college, I can see an argument for grass.

But as a coach and parent of someone who practices on turf all winter long, those little rubber bits from field turf end up everywhere. Embedded in your socks, your shoes, in the garage, the house....
 

Yeah and for a lot of schools where land is limited, turf is important because the fields can get used by multiple teams without destroying them. Also teams can practice on them without fear of ruining the turf. Some schools also put domes on them in the winter and get year-round use. So for high schools they are pretty important. For the NFL or college, I can see an argument for grass.

But as a coach and parent of someone who practices on turf all winter long, those little rubber bits from field turf end up everywhere. Embedded in your socks, your shoes, in the garage, the house....
Yeah turf is both the worst and the best
 

Switch to grass, and then wait for the complaints to come as we lose a game(s) because our RB or WR made a quick cut back against the grain and the grass tore away and he fell down preventing a sure game winning last second touchdown.
 

I thought Larry Miller solved this on Stage 2. Of course he walked it back Stage 3.

 

Switch to grass, and then wait for the complaints to come as we lose a game(s) because our RB or WR made a quick cut back against the grain and the grass tore away and he fell down preventing a sure game winning last second touchdown.
If we ever did switch to grass, let's make sure it's not what they had at the D-backs stadium like in the bowl game. That was trash.
 



Again....don't shoot the messenger, but I swear that i read that the field turf (the stuff with the cut-up rubber tires in it) actually reduced the number of knee injuries in a study. And yes, I'm too lazy to look it up. :)
 


Again....don't shoot the messenger, but I swear that i read that the field turf (the stuff with the cut-up rubber tires in it) actually reduced the number of knee injuries in a study. And yes, I'm too lazy to look it up. :)

National Field Turf Association
 

Barry Sanders
Randy Moss
Emmitt Smith
Marvin Harrison
Torry Holt
Calvin Johnson
Drew Brees
Peyton Manning

Just a few recent NFL stars who played most of their home careers on artificial turf and never suffered a major leg injury I'm aware of.

Others like Edgerrin James, Marshall Faulk, Saquon Barkley, and Adrian Peterson played home games on turf most of their careers, but tore their knees up during road games on grass.

Exceptions are meaningless.

Specifically, players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries when playing on artificial turf. Of those non-contact injuries, players have a 32% higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf and a staggering 69% higher rate of non-contact foot/ankle injuries on turf compared to grass.

 

That Pentair system didn't work for at least the first two years the stadium was open (I worked there)
Working great now. Perhaps when they first opened there were issues. Perhaps there were quirks as this was the first of its kind on this scale.
 

Yeah. Like the sun, air, etc

it was posted in response asking for proof. No proof has been Provided



And the post literally says this

“The scientific community has yet to establish a definitive link between exposure to artificial turf and an elevated cancer risk”


so when you say it says linked you are straight up either posting without reading or you are lying
Thank you for both agreeing with me and proving yourself wrong. Very much appreciated.
 




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