What does the future hold in store for synthetic surfaces?
Another benefit of having a field laced with fibre optics is that the fibre optics can sense when light is obscured, this could double up as instant video review, as the pitch could sense whether or not a player is out of bounds in NFL games or whether or not the football had fully crossed the line in a football match, which could be revolutionary.
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The fibre optic fields are made out of 1,750 7.5ft x 7.5ft slabs of turf, each with their own circuitry for fibre optics. The blend of fibre optics and blades of grass reflect light upwards from the slabs, creating a field of 128 million pixels and because fibre optics conduct light, not electricity, there's no risk of electrocution. However, 10 year maintenance could be as expensive as $1 million which is 20 times that of a normal field.
The Future of Artificial Turf in the MLS:
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One of the most dominant places where artificial turf is used is in the U.S., yet there still remains a lot of skepticism around its usage with former players, such as ex-New York Red Bulls player Claudio Reyna, ex-LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham and ex-New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry all stating their preference of real grass. However all three former players have admitted the practicality of the artificial turfs in urban environments, as in dense urban environments, you have to install small artificial pitches, which can be easily maintained.
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Thierry Henry also admitted that the Portland Timbers synthetic pitch was brilliant to play on but many would rather the top level of the sport was still played on natural grass, as here there is a budget to upkeep a high quality turf, so a cheaper low maintenance option isn't necessary.
Use in Homes:
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It's quite likely that in the future, artificial turf will be used more and more inside our homes as a decorative feature. Many sports stores use artificial turf as a carpet, which adds a different dimension to their shop and it is also used for childrens' bedrooms. Another potential use could be around pools, as it provides a soft slip-proof surface with good drainage, and acts as a splash-back zone, seeming like a perfect combination. Many houses of the future could also use artificial turf as a roof feature, with roof gardens maybe becoming more popular than traditional slate.
Synthetic turf has already made vast improvements in terms of its structure and authenticity in the past 50 years, since its first use in the Astrodome. Over half a century it has widely increased in popularity and now has many different applications. You can read more about these applications here. However, what does the future hold for artificial surfaces?
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Fibre Optic Fields:
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One of the most innovative ideas for the future of artificial turf fields are fibre optic fields. Mark Nicholls, founder of Sportexe, an artificial grass manufacturer, has patented the concept of "tufting" fibre optics in the blades of grass. This idea is already being used in artificial Christmas trees and this development would mean that the synthetic turf could turn into an advertisement board at half time in a sports fixture, or display the flags of the countries competing in an international fixture whilst the national anthems are playing. The fibre optics themselves also would allow the easy transformation from baseball pitch markings to football lines, saving time and money.
Golden Series AstroTurf:
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In the aftermath of the recent information that has come to light about a potential link between cancer and the rubber crumb (read more here), AstroTurf were asked to create an artificial surface with no rubber crumb infill and the result was Golden Series AstroTurf. This concept has used no rubber infill, as to erase negative perceptions, stop uncomfortable crumb from entering shoes and decrease the smell. AstroTurf have used NYLON RootZone to increase the uniformity of play and allow a playable synthetic surface with no infill, due to the turf being 4 times denser. Brock shockpads have been used to decrease impact injuries and higher densities increase durability.
The U.S. Soccer Development Academy, home to six of the MLS' youth systems, uses artificial turf extensively, which shows potential for this to be used more frequently in the future, with youth players getting less experience on natural grass. Southern Californian youth coach, Gary Kleiban, who runs the Barcelona USA program, said “A smooth and quick surface is ideal for technical and tactical training in the formal environment. For instance, if you want to effectively teach possession-centered football, it's best if the players have a field that doesn't get in the way of properly executing technical and tactical activities. Turf is great in this regard.", showing that artificial turf has many benefits.
Use in Extreme Climates:
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Synthetic surfaces are arguably most popular in extreme climates and it is in these regions that people think the future is the brightest for artificial turf. Currently, there are 150 synthetic pitches in Norway, with 300,000 football games played on them every year and a new scheme plans an additional 50 artificial fields to be constructed every year, with half the country being inside the Arctic Circle and some areas only getting sunlight for half of the year, making natural pitches impractical.
In Iceland, 30% of the countries registered 100 teams play on synthetic turf and 160 mini-pitches are planned to be built in the near future, to increase player participation. Denmark has 1933 clubs, of which 146 use artificial pitches, and the country has seen a 47% participation increase in football, correlating with the increase in artificial surfaces, which is an astounding increase. A survey of over 2000 football coaches by ESTO saw results that showed that 75% of coaches in different European countries think that playing on artificial turf is likely to increase skill by some degree, a 15% increase on 2010s figures, showing the popularity of artificial turf.
Synthetic pitches are also expected to be widely used in Africa and the Middle East in the coming years, as teams fight against drought to create a playable surface. A survey of 100 young people showed that 47% expect more extensive use in all climates and 27% expect more use in extreme climates.
