Turf & Beckham

[coppercanuck]

I don't want to start the debate of Field Turf vs. Grass but I was interested to find out if Beckham played at RSL. And he did. How can the thought be that our turf at BMO Field is worse than the turf at Rice-Eccles Stadium? I did a quick search and it is Field Turf also!! I am shocked to read that because on camera the Rice-Eccles turf looks like the old AstroTurf. If guys don't want to play on Field Turf, then they shouldn't play at BMO, Rice-Eccles, Giants and Gillette Stadiums. I also assume they are all FIFA Approved.

[Toronto Ruffrider]

The Rice-Eccles turf practically is AstroTurf. Did you see the bounces on that surface? When TFC played at Rice-Eccles last season, I thought I was watching a ping pong match. Anyone who is willing to play on that kind of surface should have no problem playing at BMO.

[RS]

Only BMO Field's turf is FIFA approved. The rest are of a lower grade.

[tmcmurph]

quote:Originally posted by Toronto Ruffrider

The Rice-Eccles turf practically is AstroTurf. Did you see the bounces on that surface? When TFC played at Rice-Eccles last season, I thought I was watching a ping pong match. Anyone who is willing to play on that kind of surface should have no problem playing at BMO.

I checked their web site and it says the field was upgraded in 1997/8 with the following

# Home of the University of Utah football team, the Utah Utes

# Capacity: 45,017

# Playing Field: Field Turf

So it might be a case of very old Field Turf that is now baked and compressed like a rock. You need to replace it every 8 years or so according to the manufacturer. We'll see what BMO is like in 6 or 7 years. Hopefully they will come to their senses and make it grass for the guys or use the Desso Grassmaster system.

Take the bubble and setup a amatuer site somewhere else for winter.

I don't think it is a question of which field he prefers I think he just doesn't like any Field Turf setup (name me a player who does?). There are a lot of companies selling it and saying "look at BMO, they play soccer there" because it is the newest in the MLS. I think that is why BMO gets mentioned. I mean seriously if you were a marketing person for Field Turf would you mention BMO or Rice-Eccles? So BMO becomes the poster child for all who want to sell and those who don't want to play on Field Turf.

[Toronto Ruffrider]

quote:Originally posted by tmcmurph

I checked their web site and it says the field was upgraded in 1997/8 with the following

# Home of the University of Utah football team, the Utah Utes

# Capacity: 45,017

# Playing Field: Field Turf

So it might be a case of very old Field Turf that is now baked and compressed like a rock. You need to replace it every 8 years or so according to the manufacturer. We'll see what BMO is like in 6 or 7 years. Hopefully they will come to their senses and make it grass for the guys or use the Desso Grassmaster system.

Take the bubble and setup a amatuer site somewhere else for winter.

I don't think it is a question of which field he prefers I think he just doesn't like any Field Turf setup (name me a player who does?). There are a lot of companies selling it and saying "look at BMO, they play soccer there" because it is the newest in the MLS. I think that is why BMO gets mentioned. I mean seriously if you were a marketing person for Field Turf would you mention BMO or Rice-Eccles? So BMO becomes the poster child for all who want to sell and those who don't want to play on Field Turf.

Part of the reason why the fieldturf at Rice-Eccles has a similar bounce to AstroTurf may be because the primary sport being played at that stadium is gridiron football. In some gridiron stadia, the turf is cut to a lower level, and the shorter plastic blades allow for bouncier play.

Of course, it doesn't help that the turf at Rice-Eccles is pretty old. No sporting surface lasts forever, even one that's not living.