Northwestern's grass field is in terrible shape

Fertilizer too.

Especially for the one inside the stadium. You don't need to replace that every 8 years. That's crazy.

 
Nebraska would need to install a complex sub-air system and other high cost items to make a grass field work in Memorial Stadium. It would also require a lot of maintenance and the grass would still have a good chance of being dead/frozen in November.

The reason grass is used in the South is because it's warmer all year round and easier to grow. If you look at NFL fields that have grass, it usually looks like crap halfway through the season and they usually end up bringing in new sod between the hash marks.

FieldTurf is a great alternative to grass, provides a consistent playing field, and it enables the team to actually practice inside their stadium, as well as the band.

 
Hooked on Huskers said:
TonyStalloni said:
You mean with all the friggin genius's at that school they don't have one person capable of growing a decent stand of grass? On the flip side, with the amount of alumni money that one would think should be available, why don't they have field turf?
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or else I prefer natural grass with PROPER MAINTENANCE.

Anyway, I wish tear down FieldTurf in Tom Osborne field and install beautiful, nice odor, softer, cooler, and less injury real grass. Long-term costs are less with natural turf fields compared to synthetic turf fields (FieldTurf). Artificial fields need replacing every 8-10 years, whereas a natural turf field does not. NFL already convert from fake surface (i.e. FieldTurf) to natural grass ........... Denver Broncos, Arrowhead, Solder Field, Lambeau Field, Steelers, Eagles and some more. And last CFP teams, Alabama, Clemson, Michigan State and Oklahoma, all home venue natural grass
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Cooler? Someone hasn't done full-pad pushups on natural grass in 100 degree heat.

 
I was always under the impression that field (and astro) turf was way cheaper than natural grass over a 10ish year period. It seems like most large high schools have field turf now.

ColoradoHusk said:
If you look at NFL fields that have grass, it usually looks like crap halfway through the season and they usually end up bringing in new sod between the hash marks.
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Pittsburgh is a glaring example here. By mid November, Heinz Field is always chewed up.

 
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Northwestern get's the same amount of money from the B1G as everyone else. They can divert a small portion of it to make sure kids don't get injured on that crap field.

 
saunders45 said:
Northwestern get's the same amount of money from the B1G as everyone else. They can divert a small portion of it to make sure kids don't get injured on that crap field.
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It's actually proven that less injuries happen on natural grass. This is the biggest non story every year.

 
KingBlank said:
saunders45 said:
Northwestern get's the same amount of money from the B1G as everyone else. They can divert a small portion of it to make sure kids don't get injured on that crap field.
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It's actually proven that less injuries happen on natural grass. This is the biggest non story every year.
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Well actually, having sand on the field in spots like that is super dangerous. Even our county park where I coach closes fields when they have to fill it in like that.

 
Grey leaf spot is a very aggressive turf disease in the fall that is difficult to identify. It can wipe a stand of rye grass out in a matter of days.

 
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The Dude said:
Hooked on Huskers said:
TonyStalloni said:
You mean with all the friggin genius's at that school they don't have one person capable of growing a decent stand of grass? On the flip side, with the amount of alumni money that one would think should be available, why don't they have field turf?
Click to expand...
or else I prefer natural grass with PROPER MAINTENANCE.

Anyway, I wish tear down FieldTurf in Tom Osborne field and install beautiful, nice odor, softer, cooler, and less injury real grass. Long-term costs are less with natural turf fields compared to synthetic turf fields (FieldTurf). Artificial fields need replacing every 8-10 years, whereas a natural turf field does not. NFL already convert from fake surface (i.e. FieldTurf) to natural grass ........... Denver Broncos, Arrowhead, Solder Field, Lambeau Field, Steelers, Eagles and some more. And last CFP teams, Alabama, Clemson, Michigan State and Oklahoma, all home venue natural grass
Click to expand...
Cooler? Someone hasn't done full-pad pushups on natural grass in 100 degree heat.
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Grass always felt cooler than turf, but its sooo much more humid on a hot day. It's a trade off.
 
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Coach Power'T said:
Hooked on Huskers said:
TonyStalloni said:
You mean with all the friggin genius's at that school they don't have one person capable of growing a decent stand of grass? On the flip side, with the amount of alumni money that one would think should be available, why don't they have field turf?
Click to expand...
or else I prefer natural grass with PROPER MAINTENANCE.

Anyway, I wish tear down FieldTurf in Tom Osborne field and install beautiful, nice odor, softer, cooler, and less injury real grass. Long-term costs are less with natural turf fields compared to synthetic turf fields (FieldTurf). Artificial fields need replacing every 8-10 years, whereas a natural turf field does not. NFL already convert from fake surface (i.e. FieldTurf) to natural grass ........... Denver Broncos, Arrowhead, Solder Field, Lambeau Field, Steelers, Eagles and some more. And last CFP teams, Alabama, Clemson, Michigan State and Oklahoma, all home venue natural grass
Click to expand...
Are you sure? Water, paint, paying mowers, gas for mowers, maintenence of mowers.

I like real grass too just fyi, but I've always been told you pay more for natural grass. I don't really know the math with it, however.
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A lot of our local high schools have gone to turf citing cost. As you said, water, mowing and other maintenance costs more in the long run. And as a Steelers fan, Heinz Field is routinely voted amongst the worst fields in the NFL. It gets a lot of use with Pitt and high school playoffs as well.

 
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