The History and Development of Artificial Grass in Sport

Its first high-profile installation was at the new Astrodome in Houston in the late 1960s. This was a first-generation system of turf, with short pile fibres and no infill, which did lead to some questions over injuries to the baseball players using it. A few years later, new developments led to artificial grass with sand infills, and after this the addition of the recycled rubber which modern systems use.

 

This third-generation artificial grass was launched in the late 1990s and is the closest to real grass that a synthetic product can be. It uses fine monofilament polyethylene fibres and a polypropylene backing, with a three-tiered system of infill cushioning. One tier is silica sand, another is a mix of sand and rubber and the top layer is pure rubber. This means the shock-absorbency qualities are second to none and easily as good as real grass. Additionally, as all layers are porous, water can drain through effectively.

 

This modern artificial grass is so superior to the original type of Astro Turf that it is installed in over 7000 professional sports fields around the world. Some of the most famous are Middlesbrough F.C.’s training ground, the New York Giants' home ground, and the Indianapolis Colts' Lucas Oil Stadium, where the 2012 Superbowl was played.

 

The NFL has really got behind synthetic turf, with eleven NFL teams playing their home games on it, while 15 teams use it in their practice venues. Part of the reason for this is that it can save up to $50,000 in maintenance per year and does not need replacing for up to ten years. Studies published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine have indicated that player injury rates are similar or lower on artificial grass than on real grass, although the types of injury do vary.FIFA has also expressed an expectation that the use of artificial turf within football training grounds and stadiums will become more widespread as the technology continues to improve.

 Why not browse through the RC Artificial Grass site to see how this technology has now been applied to synthetic grass for domestic and small business use and see how it could be relevant for you?