As the Chiefs prepare to move to a new domed stadium in Kansas, the details made available to date don’t address one key factor.
Will the playing surface be natural grass or artificial turf?
Per the Chiefs, no official decision has been made as to the issue of grass or turf. The team’s preference, however, is grass.
If it’s grass, the new venue will need to have a way to move the grass for the various other events that the stadium will host. That means either having a tray that slides out of the facility (like the Cardinals and Raiders use) or a more elaborate system that stores the grass surface underground.
At a time when the NFL Players Association is pushing for grass in all NFL venues, the future of the Chiefs’ playing surface becomes critical. They’re currently one of 16 teams that play on grass. The union will want to keep it that way.
The Chiefs currently do as well. It all comes down to how much it will cost to have a system for ensuring that a high-quality grass surface is available in what will be another building with a roof, and whether the money will be there to fund the difference in cost between having grass and rolling out the green carpet.
