Dec 21, 2023, 12:00 PM ET
This surface, team authorities point out, has less data regarding the rate of potential injuries.
EAGAN, Minn. — The stadium U.S. Bank sand will become the last installation of the NFL to replace its playing surface with an artificial turf version that has better results in preventing injuries, according to a vote Thursday morning that formalized the decision.
Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, which owns and manages the stadium that hosts the team’s home games. Minnesota Vikings, approved a $1.3 million bid for the project. It will replace the current turf, which is associated with the highest rate of non-contact injuries to the lower extremities among the types of artificial turf used in the stadiums. NFLaccording to data collected by the joint surface committee of the NFL and the Players Association NFL. Instead, the MSFA will install a monofilament version called Act Global Xtreme Turf DX.
Work will begin in February and will be ready in time for the 2024 season. Vikings They will also install the same surface in their practice facilities, according to Steve Poppen, executive vice president and director of business administration for the team. The Vikings were closely involved in selecting the winning bid, along with the MSFA y ASMthe company that manages the stadium.
Act Global Xtreme Turf DX will be the new surface for the Minnesota Vikings stadium. AP
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“Our No. 1 priority was focused on player health and safety and on-field performance,” Poppen said. “The [MSFA] and ASM were aligned with us on that point.”
The teams of the NFL began replacing grass last winter after data from the NFL/NFLPA will show a small increase in the rate of injuries that can potentially be attributed to playing surfaces. Three stadiums continued with the previous grass this season: the Lucas Oil Stadium of the Indianapolis Coltshe Paycor Stadium of the Cincinnati Bengals and the U.S. Bank Stadium. Los Colts They have also confirmed plans to lay a new turf in 2024.
Los Vikings opted not to make an immediate replacement last winter, reported vice president of player health and performance, Tyler Williams, to guarantee an orderly selection process. The warranty on the current surface, installed in 2019, will expire after this campaign. The receiver of the Vikings, Justin Jeffersonand the tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelce, suffered non-contact lower extremity injuries in Week 5, and the tight end of the San Francisco 49ers, George Kittle, complained about the grass after a game in Week 7, but Williams commented: “I think our field has played very well this year, and I don’t think any of the injury data suggests that there is a cluster of injuries on our field in comparison with others.”
Williams added: “Just because the NFL and the NFLPA did that study, I think you need to, not only from a time perspective to install, but also from a time perspective to understand the methodology of that study and do your due diligence…rather than if we had acted rashly and We just said, ‘Let’s change it.’ What if we had put in a worse lawn? It’s always the choice to trust your process rather than just change it and say, ‘We did this.'”
Earlier this season, the executive director of the NFLPALloyd Howell, asked the NFL that would guarantee natural grass fields in all its stadiums, even those with permanent roofs like the stadium U.S. Bank. Williams said he inquired about options for a grass field during the Vikings’ process, but discovered it wasn’t feasible. The facility typically hosts more than 200 events a year in addition to Vikings games.
“U.S. Bank Stadium It was built as a multipurpose facility,” Poppen explained. “It was designed for artificial surfacing. “We don’t have the ability to grow grass at that stadium right now.”
2023-12-21 17:00:00
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