Construction and management of sports pitches in an arena environment

Sports pitches in modem stadia are most commonly constructed using the suspended water table principle. With the choice of appropriate materials, recognised playing surface performance criteria can be achieved. In some stadia, environmental effects, particularly low light levels and shade, create environmental stress for the grass. This combined with further stress from increasing usage, particularly of a multi-purpose nature, can cause difficulties for groundstaff trying to present a consistent and uniform surface of adequate turf and playing surface quality. Thoughtful management of stressed areas may help but where stadia design (past or future) creates very difficult environmental circumstances for the grass we;are likely to see the development of renewable and/or transportable pitch systems.