(ORLANDO, Fl) – During last year’s Capital One Bowl between Penn State and LSU, a field that is utilized to full capacity showed the effects of both wear and weather by virtually disintegrating on national television and turned into a mud pit. Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium has since undergone significant renovations, including the addition of a new AstroTurf® field.
Below are facts about the new surface that Alabama and Michigan State will play on at this year’s Capital One Bowl.
Following are some facts and figures about AstroTurf® and the GameDay Grass™ surface they will be playing on.
Facts About AstroTurf®
• Astroturf® originated synthetic turf in 1965.
• AstroTurf® is the first vertically integrated turf company, supervising the product from raw material selection through installation.
• The rubber infill system uses recycled tires, keeping about 20,000 tires per field from being placed in landfills.
• TurfAide™ is a factory-applied microbial protection for AstroTurf® systems, protecting against MRSA and other bacteria.
• AstroFlect™ reduces surface temperatures of AstroTurf® fields by as much as 20% compared to other synthetic fields.
• AstroTurf® fields save between 500,000 – 1,000,000 gallons of water usage per year.
• AstroTurf® fields can accommodate 3-4 times the amount of play of natural grass fields, with little or no downtime for maintenance.
• AstroTurf® fields reduce maintenance costs, man-hours, and use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals.
• AstroTurf® provides 60 lb. pile-weight fields, the heaviest in the industry.
• An independent study at Michigan State University, funded by NFL charities, determined AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ performs most like natural grass.
• AstroTurf® fields are safe. An NCAA study found injury rates of 4.4% on natural grass and 3.5% on synthetic turf during practice. Rates for games were 11.5% and 11.4%, respectively.
• In 2010, BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, completed an eco-efficiency analysis which compared AstroTurf® and natural grass over 20 years in terms of 11 environmental impact categories and life cycle costs. The study found that AstroTurf® has less of an environmental impact than any natural grass fields. The only natural grass fields which tested better were those that could host over 140 events per year, a virtually unheard of number. Also, costs over 20 years, even factoring in turf replacement, were 15% less with AstroTurf® fields.
• AstroTurf® took a major step for the industry in 2010 by formally partnering with the University of Tennessee to open the $1.5 million dollar Center for Safer Athletic Fields, a research and testing facility.
AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ 3D60X Features:
• The Game Day Grass™ 3D “Extreme” surface is a combination of three styles of fiber; two polyethylene fibers for superior aesthetics and play and a nylon RootZone®.
• The system includes parallel-fibrillated slit-film polyethylene fiber technology, the toughest in the industry, and:
• Horseshoe fiber for grass-like looks and playability. The Horseshoe fiber design, introduced in 2010, is a dual-post, thick monofilament fiber, which is very resilient. The Horseshoe design improves fiber memory and allows for a higher tuft bind, resulting in less fiber slippage. The fibers also absorb less heat from sunlight, lowering surface temperatures.
• Patented nylon RootZone®, providing better shock absorbency while minimizing infill migration. RootZone® is a dense fiber sub-layer that traps the rubber infill granules. This minimizes rubber ‘splash’, providing a more uniform, predictable and safer field of play.
• Coated with an industry-best polyurethane secondary backing system, featuring BioCel™ technology, for superior tuft lock and dimensional strength. BioCel™ utilizes soybean-based polyols, reducing dependence on foreign oils.
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