Heinz Field getting new sod

[one side only]

For the second time this season, Heinz Field will receive new sod. After the Texans game, it was re-sodded between the hash marks. This time the entire surface is being replaced. Nobody should complain about crappy field conditions for the last three (regular season -- Hey; I'm an optimist) games.

[Dwinsgames]

For the second time this season, Heinz Field will receive new sod. After the Texans game, it was re-sodded between the hash marks. This time the entire surface is being replaced. Nobody should complain about crappy field conditions for the last three (regular season -- Hey; I'm an optimist) games.


this is the normal around this time of year ( HS playoff games , Pitt ) steelers away or bye .... problem is sod does not take hold this time of year so we will see instances of it giving way ...

thats how it goes when its a City funded as a multi use venue

[st33lersguy]

How about getting some field turf. The sod just ain't cutting it

[Godfather]

Bet the under when we play Dog and Beth. Especially if it rains for a couple of days before the game.

[X-Terminator]

How about getting some field turf. The sod just ain't cutting it

They keep it because the players want it. FieldTurf or any kind of artificial grass is hard on the body.

[salamander]

They keep it because the players want it. FieldTurf or any kind of artificial grass is hard on the body.

Seeing Heinz Field with artificial turf just wouldn't be right. I'm actually surprised Goodell hasn't mandated artificial turf yet...I'm sure it's what the fans would want. :ranger:

[GoSlash27]

After spending most of my life watching the Steelers play in 3 Rivers Stadium, it's odd seeing people complain about a grass field.

[fansince'76]

After spending most of my life watching the Steelers play in 3 Rivers Stadium, it's odd seeing people complain about a grass field.

Yep - the old Astroturf in TRS was like playing on concrete. And I'll never forget the 1978 AFCCG when there was standing water everywhere on top of the old Tartan turf:

http://proplayerinsiders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/1979-oilers-dan-pastorini.jpg

[Hawkman]

Yep - the old Astroturf in TRS was like playing on concrete. And I'll never forget the 1978 AFCCG when there was standing water everywhere on top of the old Tartan turf:

http://proplayerinsiders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/1979-oilers-dan-pastorini.jpg

Yeah, that was just NASTY!!

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I do remember one night game several years ago (I think it was against the Ravens), where they had just replaced the turf, and it poured rain for a couple of days, and the turf was floating....pretty dangerous. Really low scoring game. No one could get traction.

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Sorry, it was Miami.

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As I recall a punt stuck in the field when it landed.

[Lady Steel]

Artificial turf is gross and, well, unnatural. Not the way football was meant to be played.

[plenewken]

How about covering the North End, close the North End corners and add seats and add even more seats to the South End? Heinz Field doesn't cut it for me. I couldn't care less about the view of Downtown. This is a stadium, not an observation point.

[salamander]

How about covering the North End, close the North End corners and add seats and add even more seats to the South End? Heinz Field doesn't cut it for me. I couldn't care less about the view of Downtown. This is a stadium, not an observation point.

Closing the end zone has been in the works for a couple of years now. They're supposed to add more seats this upcoming off-season.

[steelreserve]

I seriously question the wisdom of using a 60,000-plus capacity stadium for an event whose peak attendance across all four games totals 20,000 or less. Yeah, it's neat for the kids, I guess, but it's absolutely horrible as a choice of venue, especially since it can and does impact other more important games on a regular basis. It would be much better suited for a college stadium, among which there are probably dozens of choices.



I do remember one night game several years ago (I think it was against the Ravens), where they had just replaced the turf, and it poured rain for a couple of days, and the turf was floating....pretty dangerous. Really low scoring game. No one could get traction.

Sorry, it was Miami.

As I recall a punt stuck in the field when it landed.


That was the Miami game, and if I remember right, the special issue was that it was a Monday night game right after the HS/college games ... so because they didn't want a torn-up field on national TV, the league insisted on re-sodding the field during the one day between games, rather than during the week. So they didn't have time to do it correctly, and instead of tearing out the old sod and replacing it the right way, they did a temporary job and simply put the new turf down over top of the old stuff, and that's what led to the problems. I also think that was the year the Dolphins went 1-15, and we won that game 3-0. Completely ugly.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7DTNEa2E7w



How about covering the North End, close the North End corners and add seats and add even more seats to the South End? Heinz Field doesn't cut it for me. I couldn't care less about the view of Downtown. This is a stadium, not an observation point.


Closing the end zone has been in the works for a couple of years now. They're supposed to add more seats this upcoming off-season.

Be careful what you wish for. You need look no further than Oakland to see what can happen if you do change a stadium around just to add seats and don't get it right. If that happens, you will care plenty. It's perfectly fine as-is if you ask me, but it wouldn't be difficult to turn it into an ugly concrete monolith with the wrong "improvements."

[fansince'76]

I seriously question the wisdom of using a 60,000-plus capacity stadium for an event whose peak attendance across all four games totals 20,000 or less. Yeah, it's neat for the kids, I guess, but it's absolutely horrible as a choice of venue, especially since it can and does impact other more important games on a regular basis. It would be much better suited for a college stadium, among which there are probably dozens of choices.


I agree to a point, but it was the taxpayers who largely paid for it. Maybe the NFL, which is awash in cash, should pony up to buy the stadium from the taxpayers. I know the Rooneys don't have the money - they're still asshole-deep in debt from being forced to buy up the rest of the family's shares in the team.

[tube517]

Yep - the old Astroturf in TRS was like playing on concrete. And I'll never forget the 1978 AFCCG when there was standing water everywhere on top of the old Tartan turf:

http://proplayerinsiders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/1979-oilers-dan-pastorini.jpg

DA STEALERS PAYD DA GROUNDZKEEPURZ !!! (to leave the water or ice on TRS field during the playoffs :chuckle:)

[steelreserve]

I agree to a point, but it was the taxpayers who largely paid for it. Maybe the NFL, which is awash in cash, should pony up to buy the stadium from the taxpayers. I know the Rooneys don't have the money - they're still asshole-deep in debt from being forced to buy up the rest of the family's shares in the team.

They didn't buy up the other shares, they just kept barely enough to maintain the minimum 30% required by the league. Most of the team is owned by others now; the Rooneys are just the public face of it and not the ones with the real money.

You know, if there was ever a candidate for another publicly-owned franchise like the Packers, the Steelers would be it, although numerous NFL sources have said that will never be allowed to happen.

Anyway, to your original point ... I don't know what public benefit it serves to use Heinz Field as a high school sports venue. About the only argument is the "hey, neat" factor for the players, but that IMO doesn't hold any more weight than the fact that watching Steelers games is neat. I don't know, I just wish they'd figure out a better way to do it.

[Lady Steel]

539068112105009153

[plenewken]

Considering how they played today, re-sodding HF was a total waste of money.

[fansince'76]

They didn't buy up the other shares, they just kept barely enough to maintain the minimum 30% required by the league. Most of the team is owned by others now; the Rooneys are just the public face of it and not the ones with the real money.

Semantics. The Rooneys are still asshole-deep in debt because of it all the same. They're certainly in no position to tell the high school kids to go pound salt in any case, which was really my point.