Soldier Field Turf Problems
- In 1971, Soldier Field was given an Astroturf playing surface. Astroturf, which was popular in the 1970s, was essentially an outdoor carpet. It was more weather resistant than grass, but it was hard too. It was blamed for an increase in injuries, specifically knee injuries. In 1988, the Astroturf at Soldier Field was replaced by a natural grass field. Grass remains the playing surface as of March 2010.
- Chicago is located in the northern Midwest, where there are notoriously cold temperatures in the late fall and winter. As the temperature drops, the natural grass at Soldier Field becomes susceptible to damage. With the sharp cuts that normal football play requires, the surface at Soldier Field usually is torn up in large chunks and divots by the time the season ends.
- The city has made some changes to the Soldier Field playing surface, including a sod change in 2009. Replacing the old grass with new sod proved a short-term solution for the few weeks left in that season, but the fact remains that grass does not grow well or replenish itself in cold weather.
- A loose playing surface can even the level the talent and speed between teams. The Chicago Bears are famous for tough hard-nosed defenses, but struggled on offense for much of the 1990s and 2000s. The poor playing surface slowed down opposing offenses, but in theory created an advantage for the hometown team accustomed to playing with loose footing.
As of March of 2010, the Bears made moves to indicate they would try to add speed and new schemes to its offense. It raised the issue of a turf change again as fans and writers thought the plain grass surface would serve as a detriment to the new playing style. - Many sportswriters, fans and even players propose that the Chicago Bears install Field Turf as the Soldier Field playing surface. As a synthetic product, Field Turf removes the need for constant maintenance during cold months, improves the playing surface and favors a fast offensive scheme. According to a 2009 Chicago Tribune article, the cost of installing field turf would be approximately $1.5 million. Considering the sod replacements cost an estimated $250,000 to $500,000, not including the amount of upkeep required to maintain the field, a low maintenance Field Turf may be considered a wise investment.
