Many of the athletics grasses are seeded mixtures to get the most coverage and for the longest period of time. Each seed mixture is used for the desired traits that are dominant to its variety and whether it grows well with the companion species. It is a cool season, perennial, bunching grass, quick to germinate and forms a dense, thick sod, which can remain green year round in some areas. It is a non-thatching grass and can stand heavy traffic. Newer dwarf varieties have been developed to be mown closer with the addition of better disease and insect resistance.
Tall fescue is reseeded yearly to keep the sod as thick as possible.
Being quick to germinate and establish is one its advantages. Mixes of Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue are used in many situations. Sports fields that are planted in tall fescue are baseball, football, soccer, softball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, polo, and any recreational area. Tall fescue is drought tolerant and generally uses less fertilizer and does not have to be mown as low as many other sports grasses. Bluegrass and creeping red fescue are the two lesser components in a mixture with fescue.