The stadium has had artificial turf since it opened in 1976. This conversion is not by chance. Football, soccer and baseball share such facilities. Some baseball players play about 100 games a year on artificial turf. While it might be great for the hitter as the ball scoots into the outfield, for the fielder it can wear down even the strongest players.
Injuries occur from a combination of many factors.
Playing-surface type and condition are among those risk factors. An NFL study of the type of playing surface and the occurrence of knee sprain injuries from 1980 to 1989 was published in the early 1990s. When looking at specific positions and plays, for example, there is a statistically higher injury rate for MCL injuries for Astroturf when linemen sustained injuries. The data that relates to punts and kickoffs demonstrated a statistically significant higher injury rate for ACL sprains on Astroturf. Overall, there is a tendency for Astroturf to be associated with increased risk of knee sprains and MCL and ACL injuries under specific conditions.