Colleges, recreational facilities and even some professional leagues increasingly choose synthetic turf fields over natural grass pitches for soccer. Synthetic or artificial turf consists of artificial grass blades stitched into a backing material and scattered/interspersed with rubber beads and sand. In 2004, FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, approved synthetic turfs for soccer leagues around the world. Artificial turf solves many problems associated with natural grass turfs; however, many people, including some professional soccer players, have spoken out against the use of artificial grass.
Costs and Upkeep
Lower cost and less upkeep constitute some of the major reasons facilities install artificial turf. Artificial turfs do not require mowing and infrequently require repainting of lines. They do not cause ruts, holes and bumps maintenance workers have to fill in with sand or dirt, as on a natural turf. Clubs do not have to water artificial turfs regularly or plant new grass seed when grass dies during dry spells. However, contrary to popular belief, in 2009, the Sports Turf Managers Association, or STMA, calculated a yearly maintenance cost of around $14,000 dollars for a natural grass field in a university stadium, while the cost of upkeep for an artificial turf was almost $23,000.
Playing Time
While acknowledging that the maintenance costs of synthetic turfs compare to that of natural grass, major turf manufacturer FieldTurf points out that organizations and clubs can turn a better profit on synthetic turf because it allows for more playing time. Artificial turfs allow matches to continue in all types of weather -- except thunder and lightning. Rainfall, which can cause clubs to postpone and even cancel matches altogether due to poor playing conditions and severe damage to natural grass fields, does not affect leagues that play on artificial turf.
Footwear and Injury
Artificial turf allows players to use a variety of footwear, including indoor soccer shoes, outdoor soccer cleats or turf soccer shoes, a hybrid shoe that looks like an indoor shoe with bump-like treads on the bottom. Because artificial turf is made of synthetic materials, it does not tear like grass, which gives way upon contact with soccer studs, thereby possibly causing abrupt or jarring stops. The STMA claims the hardness and non-resiliency of artificial turfs leads to greater injuries. FIFA's study of the U-17 Championship in Peru in 2005, the first international soccer tournament that took place on artificial turf, however, concluded there were very little differences in the incidence, nature and causes of injuries observed during games played on artificial turf compared and those played on grass.
Game Pace
A perfectly, flat smooth terrain makes for smooth, fast passing, while ruts, bumps, uneven grass or gradations disrupt the movement of the ball. All such obstacles are absent from an artificial turf. The shorter the blades of grass, the faster the ball travels, and the faster players can run. On a natural grass field, the pace of the game depends on the quality of the field, the shortness of the grass cutting and how recently it was cut. On a synthetic field, players can rely on consistently short, even grass. On the other hand, many professional leagues, such as the English Premier League, refuse to use artificial turf, but they also have the money, employees and equipment to prime grass fields to perfection before every game, which the average recreational or competitive soccer club does not. In 2007, soccer celebrity David Beckham of the Los Angeles Galaxy refused to play against Toronto FC at Toronto's home stadium, BMO Field, because of its artificial turf.
Hardness and Heat
Because artificial turf is flat and harder than real grass, the ball tends to bounce high when it hits the ground, catching players by surprise by sometimes bouncing right over them. Dry weather, however, can cause natural grass fields to harden as well, creating hard, dirt-caked playing surfaces. While artificial turf may not live up to a top-notch natural pitch, some natural grass fields with poor maintenance can exasperate players. Turfs, on the other hand, contain millions of little rubber beads scattered throughout the turf blades that soften impact. However, typically, these beads are black and on a hot sunny day attract the sun and heat up like asphalt, making the playing surface hot on the feet and even possibly eroding away at cleats. The STMA claims the average temperature of the surface of an artificial pitch can reach 117.38 degrees Fahrenheit, while soil only reaches 98.23 degrees Fahrenheit.
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