FieldTurf FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface . It is manufactured and installed by FieldTurf Tarkett , headquartered in Calhoun , Georgia , USA , a division of French company Tarkett Inc . In the late 1990s , the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass . The new system quickly began taking market share from AstroTurf , and is now the leader in the industry . The surface is composed of monofilament polyethylene blend fiber s tufted into a polypropylene backing . The infill is composed of a bottom layer of silica sand , a middle layer which is a mixture of sand and cryogenic rubber and a top layer of only rubber . The fibers are meant to replicate blades of grass , while the infill acts as a cushion . This cushion improves safety when compared to earlier artificial surfaces and allows players to plant and pivot as if they were playing on a grass field . Proponents of the surface also cite its low - cost maintenance and durability . Company history . Jean Prévost bought the patent of the FieldTurf product in 1988 and originally named his Montreal - based company SynTenni Co . , a name which would eventually be dropped in favor of FieldTurf Inc . In 1995 , John Gilman , former Canadian Football League player and coach , joined FieldTurf as CEO . In 1997 FieldTurf made its first major installation for a professional team , at the training facility for the English Premiership ' s Middlesbrough F . C . . To 2012 , FieldTurf has installed over 7000 athletic fields . In 2005 , French flooring manufacturer and minority shareholder Tarkett increased its share in FieldTurf , which led to the integration of the two companies . FieldTurf is now a part of the Tarkett Sports division , part of the holding company Tarkett SA . The FieldTurf head corporate office is located in Calhoun , Georgia . Product . FieldTurf is made from washed silica sand and rounded cryogenic rubber . Each square foot of turf contains approximately seven pounds of sand and three pounds of cryogenic rubber . FieldTurf does not use shock absorbency pads below its multi - layered infill . FieldTurf offers a number of different polyethylene fibers . The backing of the turf is a combination of woven and non - woven polypropylene . These materials are permeable and allow water to drain through the backing itself . A FieldTurf installation sized for American football cost about $ 900 , 000 ( US ) in 2008 . However , this cost is at least somewhat offset by lower maintenance costs and longer periods between replacement . The field is warrantied for eight years and should last for ten , according to FieldTurf . Safety . With regard to injuries sustained , a five - year study published in the " American Journal of Sports Medicine " found that injury rates were similar on natural grass and synthetic turf . There were , however , notable differences in the types of injuries . Athletes playing on synthetic turf sustained more skin injuries and muscle strains while those who played on natural grass were more susceptible to concussions and ligament tears . In 2010 , another peer - reviewed study was published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine , this time on NCAA Division 1 - A football , concluding that in many cases games played FieldTurf - branded products led to fewer injuries than those played on natural grass . Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is in opposition of FieldTurf . “ FieldTurf is just killing guys because they can ’ t get their feet out of the ground , ” Roethlisberger said on NFL Network . “ It ’ s just another reason we should get rid of FieldTurf . ” The NFL ’ s Injury and Safety Panel presented a study finding that anterior cruciate ligament injuries happened 88 percent more often in games played on FieldTurf than in games played on grass , the Associated Press reported . Martin O ' Neill said FIFA officials should " have their heads examined " for allowing FieldTurf after Thomas Sorensen suffered a non - contact hamstring injury during a game in Toronto . According to FIFA at the time , 14 % of injuries on grass were non - contact related while the figure rose to 22 % on the turf . Uses . American football . The first major installation of FieldTurf for football in the United States was at the University of Nebraska ' s Memorial Stadium in 1999 . The following year , it was installed at the two Pac - 10 stadiums in Washington , Martin Stadium in Pullman and Husky Stadium in Seattle . The first installation in an NFL stadium was in 2002 at the Seattle Seahawks ' new stadium , now known as CenturyLink Field ( fittingly the Seahawks would make their first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XL , which was the first Super Bowl to use FieldTurf ) . Originally planned as a natural grass field , the Seahawks decided to install FieldTurf after they had played the two previous seasons in Husky Stadium on FieldTurf . Conventional artificial turfs , like AstroTurf , had been disliked by players due to the injuries and soreness associated with playing on the previous generations ' harder surfaces . Seattle ' s head coach , Mike Holmgren , said of the FieldTurf surface " it ' s about as much like grass as you can have a synthetic surface be " and that the " players love it " . As the trend continued in the league , FieldTurf received reviews from players who cited that the field provided cushioning for falls , eased pressure on the knees , and did not cause turf burns . Stadium operators also noted the benefits of the improved durability and easier maintenance over natural grass fields . Eleven NFL teams currently play their home games on FieldTurf while 15 teams have FieldTurf in their practice facilities . FieldTurf has also been endorsed by several NCAA Division I football coaches , including Houston Nutt , Jim Tressel , and Bobby Petrino . Super Bowl XLVI . Super Bowl XLVI was played at Lucas Oil Stadium , home of the Indianapolis Colts , on February 5 , 2012 . The field is surfaced with FieldTurf , with both teams competing also having their home stadiums installed with FieldTurf as well . The New England Patriots play on FieldTurf at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough , while the New York Giants play on FieldTurf at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford . Association football ( Soccer ) . FieldTurf ' s first high profile installation came in January 1997 as English club Middlesbrough chose FieldTurf for its new training field . Only artificial fields with FIFA Recommended 2 - star status can be used in FIFA and UEFA Finals competitions . Other FIFA and UEFA competitions require at least 1 - star status . No World Cup Finals match has ever been played on an artificial surface . In 2001 , Boston University ' s FieldTurf soccer field became FieldTurf ' s first to obtain FIFA 1 - star status . In 2005 , Saprissa Stadium in San José , Costa Rica became the first stadium to host a FIFA World Cup qualifying match on FieldTurf . The Dundalk F . C . Stadium , Oriel Park received FieldTurf ' s first FIFA 2 - star rating . FieldTurf currently has 29 FIFA Recommended 1 - Star installations and 31 FIFA Recommended 2 - Star installations . In 2007 , the FIFA U - 20 World Cup Canada had almost 50 % of its games played on FieldTurf . The emergence of the surface in association football stadiums has been controversial . Players and coaches have been critical of the toll it takes on a player ' s body , and have expressed concerns that it does not play enough like actual grass . The surface has also been criticized for the infill not staying in place . In 2007 , Garry O ' Connor spoke out against the FieldTurf surface he played on during a cup final with Lokomotiv Moscow . He called it a " nightmare " and said that he did not believe FIFA should allow qualifying matches to be played on the surface . Although there are players who dislike playing on artificial turf , FIFA president Sepp Blatter said that artificial turf will eventually become a big part of the game . " This is not only a point to make headlines , it is the truth , " . " Football on artificial turf is the future . " Major League Soccer . The use of FieldTurf in Major League Soccer has received criticism . The installation of the surface at Qwest Field in Seattle was approved only after the operator of the then new stadium agreed to install a natural grass field when needed . Their concern derived from the surface potentially hindering the city ' s ability to attract an MLS franchise and international soccer events . In September 2006 , several top Canadian soccer players appealed to the Canadian Soccer Association to install a natural grass surface at BMO Field in Toronto . Darren Huckerby stated that was one reason he chose not to sign with Toronto FC . The club removed the FieldTurf playing surface and switched to a traditional grass surface starting in 2010 in a change that was welcomed by many players and fans . Following David Beckham ' s move to Major League Soccer in 2007 , he voiced his opinion that the league should convert to grass for all pitches . In an apology , he stated that the surface is fine at lower levels but that his feelings hadn ' t changed about the MLS use because of the toll the harder surface takes on the body . He also stated : " It ' s difficult but it ' s something we have to deal with . It ' s part of the MLS and we have to come to terms with it and I ' m sure it will be fine . " Beckham later went on to partner with Zinedine Zidane for the launch of the Footprint Fields program . This program is headed by adidas , the MLS , the U . S . Soccer Foundation and FieldTurf , and its goal is to donate sums of money to local communities in need of new soccer installations . The selected grantees will have new installations of FieldTurf - branded fields . Public works . A specialized version of FieldTurf called " Air FieldTurf " has been installed to cover the edges of runways at several airports . Artificial turf has several advantages over natural grass for this application : The major competitor to Air FieldTurf is AvTurf " .