petition for natural grass

[toronto_soccer]

ok guys as we all know there is market research being done by mlse on these boards. so all of us who hate the idea of field turf in the new stadium let's let them hear it. all mls fans welcome.

[Kaiser]

Grass or stay the ******** out of MLS! Put a heating system in under the playing surface.

[toronto_soccer]

i agree, grass is the only way. having a team in mls that plays on field turf discredits the league.

[GoodDead]

mmmm, I have played on Field turf and I love it, but grass is better for authenticity's sake.

[CaptainOpprobrium]

A while back I had read that the Argos would also use this stadium, though recent articles I've read haven't mentioned it. Anyone know what's up with that? FieldTurf + sharing with gridiron team = ugggggleeee.

[toronto_soccer]

the argos were supposed to be in a plan that had them sharing a proposed stadium at york university with the csa. the argos pulled out of that plan because they got a great deal extention with the skydome. no worries this is a soccer specific stadium.

[sokol]

They should design the stadium in a way that you can roll a grass field out, like in those indoor stadiums, but the base is field turf. That way, you get your grass, the football team can use the turf, and if for any other reason the field conditions are terrible you can play a game on turf, which is better than a really bad grass field. That probably costs a lot of money but it might be worth it in the long run, since the chances of getting high profile international matches, MLS Cup, the MLS all-star game and other big soccer events go way up if you have a nice stadium with a grass field.

[Sundevil9]

They should design the stadium in a way that you can roll a grass field out, like in those indoor stadiums, but the base is field turf. That way, you get your grass, the football team can use the turf, and if for any other reason the field conditions are terrible you can play a game on turf, which is better than a really bad grass field. That probably costs a lot of money but it might be worth it in the long run, since the chances of getting high profile international matches, MLS Cup, the MLS all-star game and other big soccer events go way up if you have a nice stadium with a grass field.

What you're describing sounds a lot like the Arizona Cardinals new football stadium. It's a dome with a natural grass field. The field is on a very large single tray that spends most of it's time outdoors, then they move the field in when it's game time. They can also host events like truck pulls, or concerts on the large concrete slab inside while the field is outside basking in the sun.

Oh, it costs a gob and a half of money. But hopefully the concept will work for them and inspire other stadium designers to look into it. But it'll be too late for the Toronto stadium.

Field turf is OK at first, if it's the right length. The trouble is that after a couple of years it gets really beaten up and then it's a very fast surface with little grip.

Grass is the ideal way to go.

[Moaca]

Save your keystrokes. There will be no turf surface in this stadium. Case closed.

As a city owned, MLSE run stadium it has to be used year round. Maintenance costs for a turf field are prohibitive especially with Canada's climate. It has been well documented a turf field costs about four times as much as an artificial surface to maintain.

It has already been announced as a FieldTurf like surface which will have a bubble covering for the winter months so they can rent it out for public use. A turf surface could not take that kind of heavy use.

As for the turf surface on a slab option that would cost a large chunk of the cost of the stadium itself which is 63 million.

The cost of the recent Cards Stadium in Glendale is $455 million and of that the Cardinals paid for $22.4 million in stadium improvements. Those include several upgrades to its lofts and lounge areas and to the tray that the stadium's retractable field will rest on.

So in other words, there will be no grass.

[toronto_soccer]

that is some good info, but can you tell me where you read it. where is it said that the stadium will have a bubble cover during the winter months? i hope it is all just talk because artificial turf in soccer won't be respected by most.

[dasoccerplayafosho]

even if there was field turf - with the new kinds of field turf, you honestly can't tell the difference (I'm not talking about that shiz they make with tires or whatever), I played on one of the new fields with a ground-breaking kind of field-turf, and quite honestly it was ridiculously fun
dasoccer

[RevsFunk]

they make field turf without the black rubber stuff now? can you still wear your regular cleats on it?

[socamonarch]

even if there was field turf - with the new kinds of field turf, you honestly can't tell the difference (I'm not talking about that shiz they make with tires or whatever), I played on one of the new fields with a ground-breaking kind of field-turf, and quite honestly it was ridiculously fun
dasoccer
Your knees will tell the difference on it. And so will your elbows and other exposed parts of your body when you fall on it...
Can you say "Rug Burn"?

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

mmmm, I have played on Field turf and I love it, but grass is better for authenticity's sake.

Have done so as well and it's obvious that most of the opposition is from people who have no experience in this regard. Beyond the question of authenticity fieldturf will be the better option in Toronto in the spring and fall for climate related reasons. The summer months are not so clearcut but if they are going to allow lots of community access then fieldturf is still the way to go IMO.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Your knees will tell the difference on it. And so will your elbows and other exposed parts of your body when you fall on it...
Can you say "Rug Burn"?

Having played regularly as a goalkeeper both on fieldturf indoors and on grass in the middle of an Ontario summer in the outdoor season I know which I prefer to dive full extension onto and it's the artificial surface with the rubber pellet infill.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

they make field turf without the black rubber stuff now? can you still wear your regular cleats on it?

Yes here's action from a Scottish First Division game played on one of the latest fieldturf FIFA two star surfaces about 10 days ago:-

http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/images/Brechin150406/Brechin1.jpg

[Moaca]

that is some good info, but can you tell me where you read it. where is it said that the stadium will have a bubble cover during the winter months? i hope it is all just talk because artificial turf in soccer won't be respected by most.
http://forums.soccerfansnetwork.com/showthread.php?t=33847&page=4

With 20,000 seats and stands just one metre from the FieldTurf artificial playing surface, it will be an intimate soccer experience...

A bubble will cover the playing surface during the winter, with the field split into three. From roughly Nov. 1 through March 15, the indoor area will available for rentals and community use...

"You are going to be able to phone up and say 'Can I rent that field from 9 to 10 on Thursday night?' And if it's available, yes we'll rent it."

[thurd]

Save your keystrokes. There will be no turf surface in this stadium. Case closed.
Then -
So in other words, there will be no grass.
Are they playing on dirt? An fieldturf is not bad at all. If you have ever actually played on it, you have no reason to complain. Also, with the Canadian climate it would be even more beneficial.

[Moaca]

Then -

Are they playing on dirt? An fieldturf is not bad at all. If you have ever actually played on it, you have no reason to complain. Also, with the Canadian climate it would be even more beneficial.Apparently you have a problem with reading comprehension. Turf is grass, artificial turf is exactly what it says, artificial turf.

There are/were at least three makers of 3rd generation artificial turf. FieldTurf is one of those makers. All those surfaces aren't FieldTurf just as all tissues aren't Kleenex. FieldTurf is a brand name not a generic naming convention.

[Tdotsoccer]

I've played on Fieldturf, and it is awesome. I mean it pretty much feels like grass. If NewCastle can use field turf, an MLS team in Toronto can aswell. Now if you talk about Astro turf, than I'd agree with you guys.