In order to comply with FIFA’s requirement for natural grass playing surfaces, the NFL stadium hosts across the U.S. installed absolutely perfect fields to replace much-maligned artificial turf. But with the World Cup over, teams waited no time to switch back to turf.
The Patriots are already running into issues with the replacement surface.
According to a report from ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots are scrambling to install a new artificial turf surface after the initial replacement turf at Gillette Stadium was deemed “noncompliant” by NFL and NFLPA testing. Gillette Stadium hosted seven matches at the World Cup, including France’s quarterfinal win over Morocco on July 9.
Kraft Sports chief operating officer Jim Nolan tried to dismiss the noncompliant turf as a technicality, but the team does need a game-ready surface done in time for Thursday’s preseason opener against the Colts. Via ESPN:
The artificial turf/E-layer combination, however, was not suitable for Gillette Stadium, where the artificial turf is laid over a stone-dust base, and not concrete. As the field system was not installed over an E-layer, it was deemed noncompliant despite passing all NFL field tests.
“We are confident the field would have passed if they had tested it in March without a pad, even over concrete,” Nolan said.
Of course, the Patriots could have just kept the natural grass field for both NFL and MLS games and avoided this last-minute drama (and the associated costs).
But at this point, owners are expected to use the natural grass argument as leverage for CBA negotiations.
