I remember back in the day, by this time every year the Cleveland Browns grass field was pretty much a dirt field that they painted green. However, watching the game today, their natural grass field still looks in excellent shape. Was even raining quite a bit early in the game, and it's held up amazingly well. No slipping from the players, no big chunks of turf being kicked up. Obviously the technology is there to maintain a really nice grass field well into December even in northern climates. I think it's time to bring back a nice natural grass field to Notre Dame. What say you?
Grass field maybe?
- Thread starter kev2225
- Start date
Keep what they have. The field was an embarrassment in November. Now with it going into december definitely stay
Most prefer natural grass. It's the humane thing to do. That said, for whatever reason, natural grass and South Bend does not work.
I could never figure out why ND could not grow a decent field. Purdue, which is an hour's drive away, never had that problem.
I wonder if it has to do with the field being below grade and there being drainage issues.
It got so bad in the late '70s that Devine had Astroturf put in along the benches, I guess to prevent it from getting too muddy.
I wonder if it has to do with the field being below grade and there being drainage issues.
It got so bad in the late '70s that Devine had Astroturf put in along the benches, I guess to prevent it from getting too muddy.
Notre Dame could grow a great grass field. It just takes effort and money. You need the proper base and drainage, a heating system, irrigation system and yes sun lamps to help it grow in October and November. The grass just does not get enough sunlight since it was first expanded. Lots of good grass fields further north than South Be d....just requires heat, light and drainage
You can overseed Kentucky Blue Grass with Rye and Fescue. It actually makes a great athletic playing surface but it takes skilled grounds crew to keep it growing.
It can be done; therefore it should.
Annual Ryegass goes dormant after a frost but with proper fertilization and otherwise care it will grow when the temps get back above freezing..
ND did turf as a cost saving measure but the safety of its athletes should be paramount.
I know it's completely different climates but UT is going back to turf. They are going to have a tif Bermuda in the summer with overseeded rye grass in the fall.
Many other cold weather sports franchises make it happen so can the domers.
Sheer laziness and ignorance. No reason any skilled grounds crew should have problems until November.
Stanfords was way worse in November..
That ship, packed with dead horses that are no longer worth beating, has sailed about 50 times already.
Why ? Well for me I like watching a game on real grass. I would guess if the players were asked which field turf they prefer , most would say real grass. ND played on it from the time the stadium was built until they went to turf. All those games and it was ok. As far as the grass getting beat up by mid October or early November. I’m not disagreeing. However , I just think natural grass is the way to go. Even with all the flaws. Just my preference, nothing more.
hire whoever does Michigan State’s field if a grass field is actually in the cards. I’d love for it to happen, but doubt ND wants to open their gold plated vault.
I think ND should seriously look at bringing the real grass back. Besides the player safety benefits... having home field grass brings an advantage in today's game. When opposing teams coming in, and stand on that grass, they will know they are not at home.
Get the Green Bay Packer set-up. They actually weave their real grass as if it were field turf. Makes it hold up better to wear and tear. It also has heating coils underneath.
I don’t know your background is “grass” but you’re telling me it’s laziness and incompetence that has prevented ND from having a decent field after mid October for 100 years?
That’s a long streak of futility, I just find that very hard to accept.
I alluded to frugality. Likely installing synthetic was more economical than under field warmers or a hybrid turf or the maintenance required to keep an overseeded Rye/fescue turf going.
Rye grass is tolerant to shade and cold weather. Frost will make it go dormant so if you can keep the soil above 40 it will grow and provides great traction in an athletic field and is easily repaired.
Plenty of other franchises in the north have real grass which means it can be done.
Rye also tolerates reel mowing and can be cropped shorter than the native Kentucky blue grass.
Has ND ever played a home game after mid October on real grass? I’ve watched ND for nearly 50 years and by mid October its dirt or mud.
1. In "the old days" the Browns played in Municipal Stadium, which they shared with the Indians, and had thus had a dirt infield. Those great games played in the frozen mud weren't because the grass had been worn away, but rather because it was never there.
2. The Turf Maintenance Team at Notre Dame is one of the best in the business and prove it by providing one of the best college soccer surfaces well into December. If ND wanted to have a great grass surface for football they could.
3. The switch to the artificial surface in the stadium allows the venue to be used for non-football (see revenue-producing) events like concerts without worrying about impact to the playing surface. I know that we would all like to believe the there is so much money in athletics that an extra $5 million annually isn't a big thing, but it definitely is to Notre Dame.
4. Those pictures from Purdue are from their Spring Game when all turf would becoming out of dormancy, and thus not a good representation of what their ag school is capable.
2. The Turf Maintenance Team at Notre Dame is one of the best in the business and prove it by providing one of the best college soccer surfaces well into December. If ND wanted to have a great grass surface for football they could.
3. The switch to the artificial surface in the stadium allows the venue to be used for non-football (see revenue-producing) events like concerts without worrying about impact to the playing surface. I know that we would all like to believe the there is so much money in athletics that an extra $5 million annually isn't a big thing, but it definitely is to Notre Dame.
4. Those pictures from Purdue are from their Spring Game when all turf would becoming out of dormancy, and thus not a good representation of what their ag school is capable.
I think what condition the field used to be in depended a lot on the weather, number of games played in a row, etc...
If you go look at video clips from the 1973 USC game, the field is a disaster, and I think that was played in mid-October.
It's hard for me to believe this, but the last time I was at ND for a game was way back in 2006 when we played North Carolina. That was early November and the field was fine..
