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MetLife Stadium, the site of this year's FIFA World Cup final and several preliminary group-stage matches, is currently adorned in natural grass. The switch was made this spring from artificial turf to natural grass to adhere to FIFA requirements.
Several other host stadiums across the continent also complied by making the switch, and some of those will make that switch permanent. But not MetLife. As soon as the World Cup leaves town, the grass will be ripped up, and the fake stuff will be reinstalled.
That has players miffed. FIFA, an organization that seems to get a lot of things right, requires that all pitches be as equal as possible. The NFL is also an entity that mostly gets things right. This, unfortunately, isn't one of them.
“It was a kind of sucky feeling,” New York Giants offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor said when told that MetLife will be restoring the artificial turf after the World Cup. "I’m going into year 10, and I can say wholeheartedly that grass feels way better than turf.
"With MetLife getting grass, obviously it’s cool for FIFA and the World Cup. It’s one of the biggest stages in the world, but, at the same time, the NFL as a whole is one of the most profitable businesses in the world, and so you would think that us as players would have a say in the fields that we get to play on.”
And he's not alone. A poll taken by the players union revealed that 92 percent of their members prefer playing on grass over artificial surfaces. The players say that grass is less stressful on the body than artificial turf.
MetLife has always been the focal point of the argument because it is home to not one but two NFL teams and is a top destination for concerts and outdoor events. Something is going on all the time there. Grass would not fare well with all the traffic.
That shouldn't matter, the players and their advocates contend. Some stadiums have invested in natural grass, and it's working. It's simply a matter of cost. Eluemunor believes it would be worth it.
"Obviously, the upkeep would be expensive, but I also feel like it would be an expense that is well worth it to know that your players and the guys that you’re hiring are not only confident, but comfortable and mentally feel safe on the surface that they’re playing on," he said.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Jermaine Eluemunor blasts MetLife Stadium turf switch: 'Sucky feeling'
Continue reading...
Several other host stadiums across the continent also complied by making the switch, and some of those will make that switch permanent. But not MetLife. As soon as the World Cup leaves town, the grass will be ripped up, and the fake stuff will be reinstalled.
That has players miffed. FIFA, an organization that seems to get a lot of things right, requires that all pitches be as equal as possible. The NFL is also an entity that mostly gets things right. This, unfortunately, isn't one of them.
“It was a kind of sucky feeling,” New York Giants offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor said when told that MetLife will be restoring the artificial turf after the World Cup. "I’m going into year 10, and I can say wholeheartedly that grass feels way better than turf.
"With MetLife getting grass, obviously it’s cool for FIFA and the World Cup. It’s one of the biggest stages in the world, but, at the same time, the NFL as a whole is one of the most profitable businesses in the world, and so you would think that us as players would have a say in the fields that we get to play on.”
And he's not alone. A poll taken by the players union revealed that 92 percent of their members prefer playing on grass over artificial surfaces. The players say that grass is less stressful on the body than artificial turf.
MetLife has always been the focal point of the argument because it is home to not one but two NFL teams and is a top destination for concerts and outdoor events. Something is going on all the time there. Grass would not fare well with all the traffic.
That shouldn't matter, the players and their advocates contend. Some stadiums have invested in natural grass, and it's working. It's simply a matter of cost. Eluemunor believes it would be worth it.
"Obviously, the upkeep would be expensive, but I also feel like it would be an expense that is well worth it to know that your players and the guys that you’re hiring are not only confident, but comfortable and mentally feel safe on the surface that they’re playing on," he said.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Jermaine Eluemunor blasts MetLife Stadium turf switch: 'Sucky feeling'
Continue reading...
