So like, what's up with the grass man?

[UCweCONN]

could they still schedule soccer on it?

Yes. It plays like grass but has the durability of artificial turf. I assume it's very expensive compared to other types. My understanding if that it is a thinned out artificial turf with space between the blades where real grass grows.

 

[huskymedic]

There's a new type of hybrid turf that is a mix of artificial material and grass. It provides the best of both worlds. That's what the Rent should have. The weather in CT is too wet and cold for grass.

could they still schedule soccer on it?

Yup - it's used @ the Linc in Philly and @ Wembley.



Pricey

 

[hthusky74]

There's a new type of hybrid turf that is a mix of artificial material and grass. It provides the best of both worlds. That's what the Rent should have. The weather in CT is too wet and cold for grass.

All these years the CT weather never seemed to be an issue at the Yale football and soccer fields or the UConn soccer field and Alumni Stadium. Must be the global warming. LOL The Rent has had decent grass most years. Someone, obviously f-d up this year. Turf sucks.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Personally I prefer the idea of our home field having the same surface as where we practice (which would require field turf at the Rent) but if the decision is to have grass (and only grass) as the playing surface there is no reason, even in this part of the country, that we couldn't have a very nice grass field if it were properly maintained.

 

[huskymedic]

Personally I prefer the idea of our home field having the same surface as where we practice (which would require field turf at the Rent) but if the decision is to have grass (and only grass) as the playing surface there is no reason, even in this part of the country, that we couldn't have a very nice grass field if it were properly maintained.

I hope they brought them to the Rent for a case study as to what NOT to do during the fall workshop

http://www.turf.uconn.edu

http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102618828810-81/Fall+Workshop+2013.pdf

This isn't Global Spectrum's fault but they have to fix it.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Hell, we could make spending a three month internship working as part of the crew maintaining the field at the Rent as a degree requirement. The costs to the management company to have the field properly maintained would be minimal. I don't get this.

 

[ruskin]

All these years the CT weather never seemed to be an issue at the Yale football and soccer fields or the UConn soccer field and Alumni Stadium. Must be the global warming. LOL The Rent has had decent grass most years. Someone, obviously f-d up this year. Turf sucks.

Problem is this happens every 3-4 years. If there weren't so many different entities 'running' the place and if there was a a clear organizational chart with a straight line of accountability. Go out there Monday and ask who's in charge of the grass, who they report to, and who that person reports to. Good luck.

 

[husky8273]

Yup - it's used @ the Linc in Philly and @ Wembley.



Pricey

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desso_GrassMaster

 

[BillyAggio]

Completely agree. It's an embrassment.

 

[BillyAggio]

Whose fault is it, then ? CRDA's ?

 

[Carl Spackler]

There's a new type of hybrid turf that is a mix of artificial material and grass. It provides the best of both worlds. That's what the Rent should have. The weather in CT is too wet and cold for grass.

This is not true. The playing surface at Memorial stadium was one of the best natural grass surfaces in the entire region year in and year out from start to finish in the season. That's truth - not just my homer UCONN opinion. Yale has no trouble with their grass. Weather is not the problem.

It's possible that diseased grass was put in recently, and that would be an easy response and reason as to the condition of the field.....but it's much more likely that the management of the place is the reason that the turf is coming up in clumps.

I'm pretty sure also - to address other comments - that the team spends the majority of time practicing outdoors on the grass fields up behind Memorial on the hill, or what used to be Memorial. I'm not sure that they practice on turf inside more than they do on the grass. Could be wrong about that.

I prefer grass.

 

[huskymedic]

Whose fault is it, then ? CRDA's ?

Well, the stadium is owned by the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) and Global Spectrum is the new Operator replacing Bushnell Management Services in July 2013. CRDA falls in between OPM and Global Spectrum as a quasi-public agency.

 

[huskymedic]

"I'm also hearing from inside UConn that the school couldn't be more frustrated with the chewed-up field conditions at Global-managed Rentschler to the point of concerns over player safety and game officials commenting about it to UConn people. Who cares, right? UConn football stinks"

From a Jeff Jacobs article contrasting XL Center v. Mohegan Sun for WBB.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

International soccer matches can be played on Turf, as long as FIFA certifies the field, which requires a pre-approved type of turf to be used and subsequent brown bag of cash to be handed over to the nearest FIFA official.

From Wiki

“FIFA designated a star system for artificial turf fields that have undergone a series of tests that examine quality and performance based on a two star system. Recommended 2-Star fields may be used for FIFA Final Round Competitions as well as for UEFA Europa League and Champions League matches. There are currently 130 FIFA Recommended 2-Star installations in the world.

In 2009, FIFA launched the FIFA Preferred Producer Initiative to improve the quality of artificial football turf at each stage of the life cycle (manufacturing, installation and maintenance). Currently, there are five manufacturers that were selected by FIFA including ACT Global Sports, Limonta, Desso, GreenFields and Edel Grass. These firms have made quality guarantees directly to FIFA and have agreed to increased research and development.”

So, putting in artificial turf should not preclude soccer being held at the Rent (I am hoping that either the Rent or Red Bull Arena gets one of the US pre-Cup warm-up games next spring).

 

[John]

International soccer matches can be played on Turf, as long as FIFA certifies the field, which requires a pre-approved type of turf to be used and subsequent brown bag of cash to be handed over to the nearest FIFA official.

From Wiki

“FIFA designated a star system for artificial turf fields that have undergone a series of tests that examine quality and performance based on a two star system. Recommended 2-Star fields may be used for FIFA Final Round Competitions as well as for UEFA Europa League and Champions League matches. There are currently 130 FIFA Recommended 2-Star installations in the world.

In 2009, FIFA launched the FIFA Preferred Producer Initiative to improve the quality of artificial football turf at each stage of the life cycle (manufacturing, installation and maintenance). Currently, there are five manufacturers that were selected by FIFA including ACT Global Sports, Limonta, Desso, GreenFields and Edel Grass. These firms have made quality guarantees directly to FIFA and have agreed to increased research and development.”

So, putting in artificial turf should not preclude soccer being held at the Rent (I am hoping that either the Rent or Red Bull Arena gets one of the US pre-Cup warm-up games next spring).

Can NCAA soccer be played on artificial turf - thinking soccer tournaments with our UConn team.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Can NCAA soccer be played on artificial turf - thinking soccer tournaments with our UConn team.

Grass is preferred; but, several MLS teams (Seattle, Portland, New England) play on field turf along with several colleges (St John’s being the big name I saw).

 

[John]

Grass is preferred; but, several MLS teams (Seattle, Portland, New England) play on field turf along with several colleges (St John’s being the big name I saw).

I know the he-man anti-soccer types here will say otherwise, but I think it's important that we can schedule things like soccer games at the Rent. I personally like grass because to me it's old-school, tough and New Englandish. I just don't want any kid to ever get hurt on it just because our dipsh~it stadium management company can't lay down the grubex properly.

 

[huskymedic]

I know the he-man anti-soccer types here will say otherwise, but I think it's important that we can schedule things like soccer games at the Rent. I personally like grass because to me it's old-school, tough and New Englandish. I just don't want any kid to ever get hurt on it just because our dipsh~it stadium management company can't lay down the grubex properly.

That's why you go with the hybrid like the video - it's both fiber AND natural grass but more stable.

 

[UConn Dan]

So where do go from here?

1) Treat the grass this spring - $80,000
2) Re-sod again - $150,000
3) Go to turf - $$$$????

 

[John]

So where do go from here?

1) Treat the grass this spring - $80,000
2) Re-sod again - $150,000
3) Go to turf - ????

it's going to be interesting to see. Regardless of the choice, I can't see UConn putting up with another season of this embarassment.

 

[hthusky74]

So where do go from here?

1) Treat the grass this spring - $80,000
2) Re-sod again - $150,000
3) Go to turf - ????

There are also maintenance costs with turf, and it must be replaced every 10-12 years. Not to mention the knee injuries it contributes to.

 

[huskymedic]

Jeff Jacobs - Time To Rethink The Rent's Natural Grass
http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-football/hc-jacobs-column-1016-20131016,0,5325599.column

>>"Something had to be done and on Tuesday Chris Lawrence of Global Spectrum, which took over management of the XL Center and Rent this past summer, said something is. A process of removing sod in the center of the field began Tuesday and re-sodding will take place Thursday and Friday. The 3 1/2-week window, Lawrence said, will allow appropriate preparation time before the next home game Nov. 8 against Louisville."<<

>>According to Freimuth, turf experts were brought in and the decision to replace the turf was made Monday morning so there would be sufficient time before the Louisville game. The CRDA and Global have set up a detailed plan for continuous monitoring of the conditions.<<

 

[minidarren]

I'm positive that HuskyInsider(?UConnInsider?) made mention a few months back about the Rent going to field turf with the new husky logo on the 50 yard line, but like the tiger that LSU does. He was right on the money with the ribbon boards and scoreboard before it was announced. Maybe he is on to something with the field.