NATURAL OR SYNTHETIC…
THE PRO’S CHOICE
Current Research and Marketing suggests that
Synthetic Turf performs comparably to Natural Turf
 Footing
 Minor Injuries
 Major Injuries
 Hardness
 Heat of Playing Surface
 Longevity
“Brock PowerBase has been proven to prevent
concussions by 50% compared to a pristine natural
grass field.” - Brock Press Release for Patriots
training facility
“American professional football games played on
FieldTurf have higher lower extremity injury rates.”
FieldTurf claims that their product is equal to, or better
than natural grass
“Dr. Bradley reported that 82% of ACL injuries occurring
during practice happened on grass while only 18%
occurred on Field-Turf.”
Players were 27% more likely to sustain a lower
extremity injury when the game was played on
artificial FieldTurf instead of the real thing (P<0.01),
according to Elliott Hershman, MD, of Lenox Hill
Hospital in New York City.
More specifically, there was an 88% increased risk of an
injury to the anterior cruciate ligament and a 32%
increased risk of an eversion ankle sprain when playing
on FieldTurf (P<0.01 for both), Hershman reported at
the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
meeting here.
AAOS: Artificial Turf Injuries Still More Likely in NFL
By Todd Neale, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Published: March 15, 2010
NFL Surfaces Ranking
Artificial
1 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: LUCAS OIL STADIUM
2 NEW YORK JETS/GIANTS: NEW MEADOWLANDS
STADIUM
3 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: LOUISIANA SUPERDOME
4 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: QWEST FIELD
5 DALLAS COWBOYS: COWBOYS STADIUM
Natural
1 ARIZONA CARDINALS:UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STDM
2 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: RAYMOND JAMES STDM
3 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: QUALCOMM STADIUM
4 CAROLINA PANTHERS: BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM
5 GREEN BAY PACKERS: LAMBEAU FIELD
6 ATLANTA FALCONS: GEORGIA DOME
7 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: GILLETTE STADIUM
6 MIAMI DOLPHINS: SUN LIFE STADIUM
8 DETROIT LIONS: FORD FIELD
8 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: EVERBANK FIELD
9 BALTIMORE RAVENS: M&T BANK STADIUM
10 ST.LOUIS RAMS: EDWARD JONES DOME
11 CINCINNATI BENGALS: PAUL BROWN STADIUM
12 MINNESOTA VIKINGS: METRODOME
13 BUFFALO BILLS: RALPH WILSON STADIUM
7 HOUSTON TEXANS: RELIANT STADIUM
9 DENVER BRONCOS: INVESCO FIELD AT MILE HIGH
10 TENNESSEE TITANS: LP FIELD
11 WASHINGTON REDSKINS: FEDEX FIELD
12 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: CANDLESTICK PARK
13 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: ARROWHEAD STADIUM
14 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD
15 PITTSBURGH STEELERS: HEINZ FIELD
16 CLEVELAND BROWNS: CLEVELAND BROWNS STDM
17 CHICAGO BEARS: SOLDIER FIELD
18 OAKLAND RAIDERS: OAKLAND COLISEUM
Which field is most likely
to contribute to injury?
2010
2008
Artificial………….. 82.4%
84.8%
Natural …………… 15.9%
13.7%
Which surface is most likely
to cause soreness and fatigue?
2010
2008
 Artificial…………… 89.1%
91%
 Natural …………… 9.2%
7.2%
Which surface do you think is
most likely to shorten your
career?
2010
2008
 Artificial ………. 89.7%
92.6%
 Natural ………. 7.6%
5.3%
Which surface do think is more
likely to negatively affect your
life after football?
2010
2008
 Artificial ………. 64.4%
61.6%
 Natural ………. 3.6%
2.6%
 Neither ………. 29.7%
35.8%
What do you attribute poor
fields too?
2010
 Multiple Use Facility
35%
2008
N/A
 Weather ……………….. 19.6%
N/A
 Stadium Maintenance 18.6%
N/A
Other Options: Bad Design, Baseball Fields, Hardness, Owners, Quality of Grass, Dirty, Money
What type of field do you
prefer to play on?
2010
2008
 Natural ………. 69.4%
71.7%
 Artificial ………. 14.3%
15%
 No Preference
11%
9%
Nearly 5 times more players prefer natural rather than artificial!
Do you think there should be a
league-wide standard that teams
should have to meet in order to
be eligible for games?
2010
2008
 Yes ……………….. 83.8%
N/A
 No ………………. 6.3%
N/A
 No Preference
N/A
9.9%
How significant a role do you
believe NFL grounds keepers
play in the performance of
artificial infilled playing
surfaces?
2010
2008




Very Significant ……… 23.7%
Some What Significant 43.6%
Not Significant ………. 17.7%
No Opinion ……………. 15.0%
24.7%
49.2%
18.1%
8.1%
"Turf fields in general are better than the old turf fields, but there's nothing like
grass," cornerback Domonique Foxworth said. Grass "is harder to maintain. I
think it's more difficult for a reason — because it's safer."
The safety issue came into question last season, when three players (Ravens
cornerbacks Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb as well as Detroit Lions
running back Kevin Smith) were lost for the season after tearing knee ligaments
without being hit.
Webb said his injury was not caused by the turf but said the artificial surface did
play a role with Smith. Washington isn't sure whether the turf was a factor in his
tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.
"I think [the turf at M&T Bank Stadium is] one of the best. I've never had a
problem with it," Washington said. "Your footing is good at our stadium, but
sometimes it's too good. Sometimes it won't give. But I think it's definitely one of
the best. I've never had a problem other than this injury. So I can continue playing
on it, but any NFL player is all for natural grass.“
May 06, 2010|By Jamison Hensley | The Baltimore Sun
“Poster Child” Game for Artificial Turf Supporters






Multiple Events
Revenue
Owners and Profits
Poor Stadium Design
The Concussion Issue
And…
 How can we influence the NFL?
 How can we influence sports turf to
“raise the bar” on a broad level?
 How can we influence our local markets?
 We are not going to get an endorsement by the NFL or the
NFLPA.
 The NFL does influence collegiate, high school, and
municipal field choices.
 All of the studies and research cannot reflect the reality of
how the players feel about the surface they play on – THEY
OVERWHELMINGLY PREFER NATURAL GRASS.
 We all have an obligation to help improve natural turf
playing conditions in our circle of influence.
2008 Survey
2010 Survey