The vast majority of NFL players continue to prefer playing on grass. Plenty of owners refuse to provide it. The league’s position becomes harder to justify when stadiums that use the fake stuff for football install grass for soccer. The World Club Cup Group Stage (whatever that means) happens this weekend at MetLife Stadium. Grass has been installed at the home of the Giants and Jets for the event. Via Alex Schiffer of FrontOfficeSports.com, the NFL Players Association noticed the photo and reacted. “Looks nice,” the union tweeted, along with this hashtag: "#SaferFields.” It’s not a new position for the union. Former NFLPA president JC Tretter has made the case for grass over turf. The league has said that the issue is more complicated. In our view, it’s simple. It’s about cost. If having a well-maintained grass field cost the same as having a synthetic field, every NFL stadium would have grass. The issue will become more pronounced next year, when multiple NFL stadiums install grass for the FIFA World Cup. Including MetLife Stadium, where the final will be held. With the NFL poised to push for 18 regular-season games (up from 17) and 16 international games (up from 10), the union has leverage. Whether that leverage can be converted into grass fields in all NFL venues remains to be seen.
Based on last season, the league's stadiums were split about 50/50 on real grass. This is actually an improvement from the 90s, when at one point 18/28 had artificial. I dream of a NFL where every team is like the Raiders, and has a natural grass field with a retractable roof.
