Gillette Stadium Upgrades Facility with New GrassMaster Hybrid Grass System
New England Patriots begin practicing on new reinforced surface from global hybrid grass leader GrassMaster Solutions
This week, the New England Patriots are practicing for the first time on a newly installed hybrid grass surface at the team’s Gillette Stadium practice field in Foxborough, MA. The installation was completed by GrassMaster Solutions, a Tarkett Sports Company, a global leader in hybrid grass technology.
Work on the Patriots’ new field, which began the final week of October and was completed earlier this month, required the team from GrassMaster to use two of its fully electric stitching machines to inject the practice field with high-performance synthetic fibers (HPF). The fibers are inserted deep in the ground to provide an anchor around which grass roots entwine to deliver a surface with the playing characteristics of natural grass while also increasing the field’s lifetime and playing capacity.
GrassMaster Solutions is the same company behind the hybrid surface that was used for the two National Football League (NFL) games recently played at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt. Fittingly, the Patriots were bound for Germany to play in the second Frankfurt game while the finishing touches were being put on the new practice field.
FieldTurf, also a Tarkett Sports Company, and a world leader in artificial turf, has been at the surface of the game field at Gillette Stadium since 2006. The recent GrassMaster installation highlights a continued and successful relationship between the Patriots and Tarkett Sports.
“This is our second GrassMaster field on campus and we have been pleased to have had Tarkett Sports as a partner for many years,” said Jim Nolan, Chief Operating Officer – Kraft Sports + Entertainment. “We have found this hybrid system to offer much greater performance and durability in a heavily used practice setting versus just grass sod alone.”
“It’s an exciting opportunity to provide the New England Patriots, one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises, with one of our state-of-the-art hybrid systems,” said Eric Daliere, President – Tarkett North America & Tarkett Sports. “To continue to build on our over 15-year relationship with this premier organization is a great privilege and a testament to our team's unwavering dedication to quality.”
GrassMaster Solutions, pioneers in hybrid grass technology, launched in 1989 and has since stitched over 850 pitches worldwide. Its hybrid grass solutions have been trusted by clubs in the UK Premier League and frequently provided the playing surfaces for stadiums hosting the FIFA World Cup, Euro Cup, and Rugby World Cup tournaments. They have also featured prominently in the UEFA Champions League Finals.
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About GrassMaster Solutions
Since 1989, GrassMaster Solutions, creator of the world’s first stitched hybrid grass pitch, has been a pioneering force in the industry. With its GrassMaster (stitched hybrid system) and PlayMaster (carpet-based hybrid pitch) products, the trusted innovator has supported venues with solutions that can stand up to both sporting and off-season events.
GrassMaster Solutions’ hybrid grass systems have been perfected for top-level tournaments, venues with busy schedules and state-of-the-art training facilities, making it the first choice of sports and multifunction stadium stakeholders worldwide.
With over 850 pitches installed worldwide, GrassMaster Solutions has been the partner of choice for over 30 years.