The new pitch at the Ricoh Arena should be able to withstand the rigours of both football and rugby union this season, according to Greenfields Commercial Director Paul Milton.
Greenfields have installed a new pitch for the start of the season at the Ricoh Arena and he told the Coventry Telegraph's Andy Turner:
Paul Milton, commercial director of Greenfields, the company responsible for laying the pitch, said: “A lot of stadiums are heading towards a hybrid system which is a part synthetic and part natural.
“The benefit of that is it gives structural and root strength to the pitch because modern stadiums with big rooves and covered rooves don’t get the three key elements which are sun, wind and rain to grow naturally, so most professional stadiums are moving to some sort of re-inforced hybrid grass system to give long term stability to the pitch.
“That’s obviously more essential to this stadium where there is dual use and a lot of hours of usage, so you get an increased usage versus natural grass.The new hybrid pitch is unveiled at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. The pitch is home to Wasps and Coventry City FC matches.
“A natural grass pitch would give you about 300 hours a season, this will give close to a thousand hours, so it’s quite an increase without going to a full synthetic pitch which the professional football world doesn’t allow, although rugby do.”
As to the six million dollar question, will it stand the rigours of a full season of rugby and football, he added: “It should do. As long as it’s maintained. The natural grass might look a bit worn in areas in winter but the green will show through from the synthetic, so aesthetically, it will still look good.”
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