Because this isn't horseshoes, this is a multi-billion dollar industry. You have standards in this industry across the board so why isn't one of the most important factors (field of play) included as one of those standards? This isn't 1995 or even 2005 anymore. Everything is buttoned up these days and it's really peculiar something as glaring as the field of play has no standard playing surface league-wide. There has to be more to this story behind the scenes. It makes no sense and there's absolutely no reason for it because the injury risk alone should have made it mandatory years ago. It's unnecessary. It's completely asinine that the NFL hasn't done this yet. Because of this lack of standard, the Jets season ended before it began in 2023. If I'm a fan I want natural grass asap. I just saw another petition recently started by NFL players to have only natural grass fields across the league.
I think that this is going to be the major issue in the next CBA negotiation. It's beyond ridiculous that, at the very least, there isn't a uniform standard that every playing surface in the league has to meet. Most of these turf fields in the league look like shit these days. With all of the billions of dollars that just rain down on this league, there is no compelling reason why these owners can't put grass in each stadium.
All over Europe there is a standard of grass playing surfaces for soccer. And they play way more than 8 games a season there, way more than 16 too. We are talking about dozens of European countries with the same standard. Plus not just Europe, it's all over the world. I mean this is not a novel concept, having grass at all professional stadiums. Not having grass is more of a departure from the norm rather than the norm. Especially now with the technology to quickly replace sections of grass, etc. Roof is also something that should be mandated. It will actually help the grass too as playing in muddy conditions would not happen any longer. It's not that hard to do for a multi billion dollar industry. It just costs more to maintain: much easier and cheaper to just shlap some turf on and forget about it.
I think they are pushing toward a uniform standard, but people still want natural grass. And the league doesn't.
I mean yeah but many of those grass fields in Europe and all over the world are pure shit. They play in mud, dirt, or rock piles. Not something to aspire for If the NFL made grass standard then the players and fans would just bitch about the quality of the grass. -- The Redskins played in grass forever. FedEx Field was the single worst surface for knees and ankles.
You're doing what no scientist, turf specialist or medical person has done and that is to claim without support that the Jet's season "ended" because of the playing surface. It really doesn't matter at all what some fans want. If grass was mandated tomorrow, how would uniformity be enforced when environmental conditions would not allow for the same sod varieties to be used throughout the US?
You're further reinforcing my point. Uniformity equals standardization. Like I said natural grass needs to be the standard playing surface across one of the richest leagues in the world. It is beyond comprehension that in 2024 where everything has been standardized and scrutinized to the enth degree, there is no uniform playing surface in the NFL. This is a basic common sense issue. You don't need a PHD to figure that out. This will be part of an upcoming CBA, whether this season or in the future. There is absolutely ZERO reason for this not to have been mandated already. None.
Not in any of the best Leagues. I don't recall one premier League game in absolute shit field. And they play a lot more home games than even 16 per year (Jets+Giants). Especially if we put in a roof where you can close it whenever there is a huge rain so you don't play in mud at all. Metlife is roof ready. It would be very easy to get roof and grass and maintain, but it would cost more than just shlaping turf on top, and forgetting about it.
I don't support your contention at all. All grass is not the same. What will grow in Miami will die in Green Bay. Lawns are made of different grasses all over the country. Different blade length and thickness, different root growth profiles. Uniformity is unattainable. Maybe you need to review some turfgrass management literature from some PHDs.
I guess you failed to read the title of the thread. If you had then you would realize that Soccer leagues around the WORLD (sounds like you need to get out more) have been playing on grass forever. Furthermore the title of the thread also implies that all of the stadiums in North America are able to accommodate grass surfaces for the World Cup without any issue. So why is the NFL any different? Is there some allergy that you secretly know of that only makes NFL games immune to playing on grass. If they can play on grass surfaces the world over with varying climates then why are the surfaces here any different? Riddle me that. The proof is in the pudding and the answer lies within. Maybe you should get a clue because you have NONE. If Soccer can do it in stadiums all across the globe then why can't the NFL? The answer as I've already eloquently stated is because they CHOOSE not to, not because it CAN"T be done. Big difference, skippy.
Unfortunately it’s a huge profit game for the owners. I’d be curious to see the concert schedules of the stadiums with turf versus grass. It’s probably incredibly difficult to transform a stadium to grass after a Friday concert is a lot harder than rolling out a turf mat and securing it to the ground. Although I don’t really get why any team chooses grass for that matter. It’s not like the Ravens or Bears play in small markets where the stadiums aren’t used for other things.
You keep saying "grass" as if it means the same thing everywhere. You keep calling for the uniformity of grass when there is no such thing as uniformity in grass. I'm not reacting to the thread title because you have taken the conversation well past there, I'm responding to you and your apparent belief that all grass is the same. Read the thread title - it is concerned with a single soccer game in a single stadium - it "implies" absolutely nothing about any other game, stadium, country or playing surface. Did you even read what I posted? Do you have a solution to the bold fact that I pointed out that the same grass cannot be grown throughout the area covered by the NFL or do you simply choose to ignore it while you prattle about soccer fields throughout the entire world?
yeah if "uniformity" is your goal, then you should be an artificial turf guy. That's the only way to achieve uniformity the Bears play on grass and Soldier Field has been seen as unsafe the last couple seasons as the soft green grass turns brown and frozen, hard as a rock, in late december
Standard playing surface is uniformity. This doesn't require this much discussion. Every other league in the world has a standard playing surface regardles of variations due to weather conditions. This isn't a new principle. If soccer can play on grass surfaces around the world then why can't the NFL? The answer is obviously they CAN do it however they choose not to. Being able to and wanting to are two entirely different talk tracks. Yet in the end it can be done. Willful ignorance is not a solution. Wake up NFL. This will continue to be a big issue as long as it exists. The end.
Oh well that settles it call a complex subject like field maintenance simple, call everyone else ignorant and declare the discussion over lol
I believe you're the one who said something to the effect of "I like it that they're all different playing surfaces". Sounds great if you're playing in a sandlot somewhere That's just not reality for any billion dollar professional sports league, anywhere. But it was kinda funny. Sorry but it's hard to take you seriously after a comment like that. And my point remains, this is an issue that will be rectified in an upcoming CBA, book it.
It is the reality. If you want grass you are going to have to accept that grass fields are going to be different in every stadium. Billions of dollars can't change climates. I wish it could, we could make NY a vacation spot like Boca Raton, FL if all it took was some money
You're missing the point. Why are all of the soccer stadiums across North America able to put down grass turf for the World Cup yet the NFL is not able to do the same things for their games? That's the crux.
It doesnt mean their fields are any good. Some north american soccer teams play on mud or rock piles. The whole point of artificial turf was to eliminate that problem
Are you a mind reader? They haven't played the games yet. They are in 2026 and you're already predicting what the playing surfaces are going to be like? Let me know who's going to win March Madness while you're at it, Carnac. Again you haven't disproved my point. The NFL needs to follow the World Cup's lead. It's long overdue. That's the point.
