NATURAL GRASS AND ARTIFICIAL TURF: WHEN BOTH ARE PRESENT IN A STADIUM

In recent years, artificial turf has become increasingly popular in stadiums, but there are also some instances of hybrid surfaces. Here is how they are organised.

This type of surface is known as ‘hybrid grass’ or ‘reinforced hybrid grass’.

In the case of a hybrid surface, natural grass is planted in the soil, and then synthetic filaments are inserted into the ground. These synthetic filaments are made of a material such as polyethylene or polypropylene and are integrated with the natural grass. This combination offers the benefits of natural grass, such as aesthetics and playing experience, along with the increased strength and durability provided by synthetic filaments.

The base of the pitch is usually in natural grass, whereas synthetic filaments are inserted into the ground to reinforce the strength and durability of the grass. The addition of artificial turf can improve the stability of the ground, reduce wear and tear, and allow increased use of the pitch.

Reinforced hybrid grass can reduce wear and tear on the pitch, improve the stability of the ground and allow increased use of the pitch without unduly affecting the natural appearance of the playing surface.
Nevertheless, it’s important to note that implementing a hybrid surface depends on the choices of the stadium managers or sports organisations involved. Not all stadiums have a hybrid surface and the decision depends on various factors, such as the local climate, the maintenance required and end-user preferences.