Should Fedex Field upgrade and get Synthetic Turf

[Bang]

No.
I don't care if every other stadium on earth uses plastic grass. use real stuff when ever you can.

There is no sense in artificially creating something you can make naturally.
the field at Fedex always looks great to me.

~Bang

[The Slamming Butcher]

Notice how it's all (and please forgive me here) the older folks who seem to be against it. Many of whom I'm betting have never even stepped foot on the more modern surfaces that are out there. My high school got it my senior year. It was the nicest surface I've ever been on. Really makes you play faster.

As far as the whole "meant to be played in elements" argument. Am I missing something here?

Sun? Yea it still shines on turf.
Rain? Yea it still rains on turf.
Snow? Yea it still snows on turf.

Only thing you wouldn't get is the mud bowls. And even with the natural surfaces of today, those mud bowls are still extremely rare.

Get off my lawn.

[NLC1054]

Guys, here is the best of both worlds. The Broncos use it in their stadium, and this is what GHH was talking about; a natural/synthetic hybrid.



You can still get the grass stains while also not having your field demolished all the time.

[Buford]

I'd reluctant to do much more in terms of upgrading to FedEx. The place next felt like home for the Skins. It was built at the wrong time under the wrong circumstances. I know D.C. wasn't working with JKC to get something good done. But the day they open a 65K-70K state of the art stadium in the city with retractable roof, full WiFi and a cozy environment for Skins fans, will be very happy day indeed.

[Boss_Hogg]

Natural grass - more authentic football experience.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Three examples as pertains to football on the desso GrassMaster hybrid system:

Denver Broncos, USA

Ross Kurcab, turf manager at Denver Broncos: "This field is perfectly able to handle the incredibly busy schedule of 2 to 3 sports clubs, concerts and all kinds of events. In addition it also performs fantastically at the end of the year for NFL football. It is truly a grass miracle!"

Oklahoma State University, USA

Dan Almond, architect: "This artificial grass is undoubtedly the best of the best. (...) It is just more like natural grass, plays more like natural grass and maintains the same quality for years. I have seen a lot of these fields in Europe. After years of intensive use they still look as good as in the beginning."

Overcomes the most extreme weather conditions

Head Groundsman Allen Johnson about Lambeau Field: “Our GrassMaster surface, a synthetic and real grass mixture, was challenged with two of the biggest tests possible in the two play-off games in January. I had an idea what to expect, but I just didn’t know how it would hold up. In April, there was grass coming up everywhere. The field survived after a game-time blizzard against Seattle and the game-time arctic-like temperatures against the New York Giants! It’s the best the grass has come back in my time here.”

There's more and some great videos on their site: http://www.dessosports.com/hybrid-grass

I think too many are caught up in both the traditional idea that football should be played on grass, and 100% natural grass alone; and are still viewing artificial surfaces from the mistakes of the past. Nothing with the new technology could be further from the truth.

Hail.

[Bang]

Natural grass - more authentic football experience.

Pretty much. It may seem piddly, but grass stain and dirt are part of football.

~Bang

[~*JurgyFan*~]

Notice how it's all (and please forgive me here) the older folks who seem to be against it.

What...get offa my lawn, you young whippersnapper...but notice that it's not fake!!

[NLC1054]

This is what the hybrid natural/synthetic turf at Invesco Field looks like.



The Linc...



Lambeau Field


Remember, those fields are hybrids, combos of Grass and Artificial turf. Pretty good, yeah?

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

If I didn't know NLC, I'd say all three where natural grass fields.

Hail.

[NLC1054]

Can I ask if any of the people advocating having natural grass would have any objections to having the hybrid natural/artificial turf? Still get the grass stains without the field getting ripped up every week.

[TheBlueIndian]

Hail NO !!!
The skins should hire me as their grassjockey, it would beat the hell out of trying to keep 180 acres of golf turf alive every summer.
DEMOLISH FEDEX - GO BACK HOME TO DC

[washedup2]

Fed ex field condition is terrible and embarrassing

[Silencer6091]

That hybrid turf is NICE

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Someone should mail Allen on this to put the idea out there and the benefits to the team.

Hell, if I can find a contact addy I might well do just that. It might not get anywhere, but it might just plant the seed. (Pun intended.).

Hail.