The Los Angeles Coliseum currently has no plans to change the entire pitch from natural to artificial turf. However, it is investigating which parts of the arena can be remodeled to maximize water usage. Years ago, Furin and his staff removed the Bermuda grass behind the field goal posts in favor of turf. “We’ve spent a lot of resources maintaining these parts of the field. When you’re at the top you can’t see where the artificial turf meets the grass.”
Most West Coast NFL stadiums still use natural grass. san francisco‘with Levi‘s Stadium, Arizona‘s State Farm Stadium, Denver‘s Empower Field at Mile High and Las VegasAllegiant Field use natural grass. Los Angeles‘ SoFi Stadium uses turf, as does Seattle‘s lumen field. Washington state is not currently experiencing a drought like its neighboring states, but is experiencing an unusually drier climate.
This water conservation effort — much like many individual water conservation efforts — finds itself in an odd middle ground when it comes to the overall crisis. While any effort to conserve water should be commended, a sports stadium choosing to uproot its turf in favor of an artificial counterpart is symbolic and secondary to a larger collective action that would save water for millions in the American Southwest. 80 percent of the Colorado RiverFor example, water supplies go to agriculture, and much of that goes to alfalfa to feed cattle, including cattle in other countries. Farm reform, not sports reform, is the first step in solving the Southwest’s growing water crisis.
But football facilities can still play a role when it comes to the Southwest’s stubborn political issue of water negotiations: If AmericaAmerica’s favorite sport may adapt its techniques to adapt to a new normal, as may the people who compete in the games. And this broader action, and the awareness it creates, could lead to a more water-centric future west of the Rocky Mountains.
