Sport England Report Highlights Pivotal Role Of Synthetic Turf In Provision Of Sport
In conversation with BBC Sport, Sport England chair Chris Board went on to state that two thirds of community pitches are unusable for two months of the year due to flooding.
With extreme weather events only becoming more frequent, Stefan Diderich, Director General/CEO of ESTC, believes more organisations should consider how synthetic turf can help to overcome this challenge.
He said: “Weather has long been one of the primary barriers to sport in the UK, and is a challenge that is likely to only become more severe as extreme weather becomes more frequent.
“Given the multitude of benefits that playing sport offers, ensuring people of all ages and abilities have access to quality facilities all year round must come above all. We can’t change the weather, so it’s about finding solutions that allow sport to thrive despite these conditions.”
According to Stefan, one of synthetic turf’s key advantages over natural grass is its resistance to adverse weather conditions, including both flooding and extreme heat.
He explained: “A serious downpour can put a natural grass pitch out of action for the best part of a month. Without a specially designed drainage system, it will remain flooded or at best, mud‑soaked, which can also result in damage if it is used before it’s allowed to drain off. In the winter, grass can even become frozen solid for days at a time.
“Synthetic turf, by comparison, both drains and dries quicker, is mud‑free, and is highly resistant to damage, allowing it to be back in use in a matter of days. These benefits extend to dry weather as well as wet, requiring minimal moisture and remaining green long after natural grass would become discoloured in the heat.”
Compared to 1990, the Met Office is projecting that winters are set to be up to 30% wetter, and summers 60% drier, by 2070, suggesting that synthetic turf may have a key role to play in enabling sport for years to come.
Sport England’s research also revealed that four in 10 organisations are already being affected by weather‑related interruptions to play, with the FA estimating that 120,000 football fixtures are being lost each year.
Stefan concluded: “Engaging in outdoor sport, and reaping the physical and mental rewards it offers, is only possible with an adequate playing surface. The reality is that the expense of maintaining a natural grass pitch far exceeds that of a synthetic one, and is a luxury that is out of reach for the vast majority of communities.
“Too many days of play are already being lost to the weather. Here, it is clear that synthetic turf has a vital role to play in enabling the provision of sport, and will only become more important as the frequency of extreme weather events increases.”
For more information on ESTC, click here.
