Natural turf is usually softer than artificial turf and protects joints and muscles from damage. Natural turf is softer and offers more give than artificial turf. When a player turns quickly, their cleats tear at the turf. If the strain is too great, the turf gives way. This feature is much like a shear pin protecting a motor on a piece of equipment.
Natural turf has many benefits but requires high light levels for good growth.
Artificial turf has thus been the only choice for domed stadiums. The Houston Astrodome, built in 1965, demonstrated that domed stadiums could prevent weather-related delays and cancellations of events. Domed stadiums are now popular around the world, but the surroundings are considered sterile, partly because of the artificial turf. Turfgrasses can be grown in many stadiums, but the light levels are too low to maintain vigorous plants that can recover from the damage caused by athletic events. The first retractable dome stadium was the SkyDome in Toronto, built in 1989.