pitches as part of the regeneration of the Caledonian Market area in North London. Europe’s early ‘plastic pitches’ were made from polypropylene, which was cheaper and softer than the nylon version, so players were at less risk of injury but, before long, second generation technology had evolved, with longer tufts of grass spaced more widely apart, and sand spread between the fibres to create firmness and stability.
Because polypropylene does not
return to its original shape once it folds, the sand infill, used to support the fibre in an upright position, was critical, as was regular brushing and topping up of sand to maintain an upright pile. As a result, organisations which saw the introduction of ‘maintenance-free’ artificial turf as a way to cut costs soon saw pitch quality deteriorate. Surfaces felt firmer under foot, played faster, retained surface water and developed bumps and hollows, clearly indicating that synthetic surfaces required maintenance, rather than being maintenance-free. Twenty years on from that, and the latest 3G synthetic turf has certainly come a long way. The grass has longer fibres (50mm or so) which are made from softer materials like
polyethylene, spaced further apart in the carpet and generally infilled with rubber granules or crumb.
These are now regarded as a genuine alternative to natural grass, although regular brushing is still required to avoid compacting and to stop the infill material from migrating away from high-intensity play areas such as goalmouths. “As long ago as the late 1970s, Nottinghamshire County Council had seen a lack of traditional groundsmanship skills” said Andy, “and researched and developed its own range of synthetic cricket pitches which it could install at any site within the county boundaries. By 1984 we were marketing and distributing the council’s patented designs, alongside our own systems.
“In the grand scheme of things, artificial turf is still a relatively new invention, but it continues to develop and it is certainly here to stay.” If ever proof of that were needed, in July of this year, officials at Cowboys Stadium - the new $1.15bn home of the Dallas Cowboys - announced the introduction of three artificial pitches at the venue. “Always in the back of our mind, we knew there would be a lot more here than just football or soccer. We built it with the ultimate flexibility in mind,” Cowboys Stadium General Manager, Jack Hill, told Associated Press. “Nothing against natural grass. It’s beautiful. But, from a maintenance standpoint, there’s quite a bit to it.”
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ARTIFICIAL TURF
1964 Chemstrand Corporation installs the first synthetic playing surface, Chemgrass, at the Moses Brown School, Rhode Island, USA.
1966 Newly-built Houston Astrodome baseball arena uses Chemgrass, now renamed AstroTurf.
1970 First synthetic pitch for hockey installed at Empire Stadium, Vancouver. Argentina and Canada play first hockey match on artificial surface.
1971 First synthetic turf installed in Europe at Caledonian Park, Islington, London.
1976 For the first time in hockey history, artificial turf is used for Olympic Games, Montreal. New Zealand win gold.
1980 Essex play West Indies at Stamford Bridge on the first artificial cricket pitch.
1981 Under Terry Venables, QPR installs infamous ‘plastic pitch’, later followed by Luton, Oldham and Preston.
1984 Leading synthetic surface designers NottsSport launch in UK and develop low- maintenance NottsBase D system and high- performance Envelope System for cricket.
2000 UEFA starts research into 3G with the installation of a pitch in front of its HQ in Switzerland.
2003 UEFA begins tests on new ‘Football Turf’ in five locations: Luzhniki, Russia; Dunfermline, Scotland; Salzburg, Austria; Oerebro, Sweden; Almelo, Holland.
2005 Scottish Premier League bans artificial surfaces for competitive matches.
2007 England football team plays competitive international fixture on artificial surface for the first time, at Luzhniki, Russia.
2009 New $1.15bn Cowboys Stadium reveals plans for three artificial pitches.
Maintaining Standards
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