Technology: Evolving Sports: The Football Field

In the early days of primitive football, players had to truck their way through a groomed field to reach the end zone. Over the years, the playing surface for the game has taken a drastic new look. One of these innovations is called synthetic grass. Synthetic grass is a synthetic material that is created to appear like natural grass. Advantages of installing synthetic grass include: no cutting, no watering, no fertilizing, no seeding, a well drained field, and faster acceleration for players. You can even die the grass a certain color for added effect. Out of 31 football stadiums in the NFL, 12 have a playing field made of synthetic grass.

Also, instead of playing in the elements of whatever climate the sport is being played in, the dome was invented. The dome is a shell that is placed over the field to eliminate the elements of Mother Nature. This invention gives players a huge advantage over players playing the game in the weather. To date, there are 6 teams that call a dome their home. These teams include: St. Louis, New Orleans, Minnesota, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Atlanta. The other 28 teams have to endure the weather during their home games. Below is a picture of the Boise State football field. The field is made of artificial grass and is colored blue.