U2 vs Baseball vs Turf Cancel The title field is required!

1. Michael Vogt

   

   2 posts
   
   7/13/2011 8:07 AM

   The U2 concert is coming to Saint Louis, and Busch Memorial Stadium has been stripped of sod as of July 12, 2011. The re-sod will take place ASAP after the concert on Sunday, July 17. With that being said, in the middle of summer, with temperatures in the 90° plus can the cool season turf be rooted enough for professional major league baseball play on or before Monday, July 25?
   
   That's just 8 days to establish a turf that will support major league baseball!

   
   
   
   
2. Keith Lamb

   

   3 posts
   
   7/13/2011 9:07 AM

   Only if they use Floratine Products.

   
   
   
   
3. Chuck Barber

   

   0 posts
   
   7/13/2011 9:07 AM

   Short answer no with a but, long answer yes with a maybe. It depends on many things, Michael. The most important thing is the condition/quality/type of sod they are using? How is the irrigation system? How is the drainage? Is the root zone acceptable for good rooting? I would imagine the answer to these questions is "yes" and they will be careful in establishing the sod, for sure. I would give the grounds team there the benefit of the doubt. Since they scored all that revenue for the concert they can probably re-sod several times between now and the playoffs, right? That's probably been factored in.
   
   CB

   
   
   
   
4. Verdun Scott M

   
   7/13/2011 9:07 AM

   Mike,
   
   Do we know that it's cool season turf? I know when I was in school they had just switched away from artificial turf and it was bermuda at that time. Transition zone, inside a stadium with no wind I'm not sure a cool season grass would survive at all. JMO
   
   Scott

   
   
   
   
5. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   7/13/2011 10:07 AM

   I wonder if Scott is correct, I think they use a bermuda at Royals stadium in KC, and down here is Springfield where the Cardinals Double AA team is they have bermuda for sure. They do overseed it after the season I believe (1st week of September) because they have college baseball in March and for the beginning of the minor league season. I think when the team goes on a road trip in May after the college season, they will remove the overseed.

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
6. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   7/13/2011 11:07 AM

   Tractor rolls of sod on netting don't move much along with lots of staples you could probley play the same day.I think it was in San Franciso a few years ago they resoded beteen the 40 yard lines less than two weeks they had a football game.

   
   
   
   
7. Michael Vogt

   

   2 posts
   
   7/13/2011 11:07 AM

   The turf at Busch was a blend of cool season bluegrass, a blend of seed supplied by Scotts.

   
   
   
   
8. Cecala Randal

   
   7/13/2011 11:07 AM

   It is very possible. Big league soccer stadia in Europe are frequently played upon after a few days of being relaid. There is much more physical stress in football ( soccer ) than baseball. If the base lines were turf it would be more difficult.
   
   The soccer pitch has sliding tackles with heavy spikes and performs well when done correctly..
   
   Is Gibson still pitching and Brock stealing bases?

   
   
   
   
9. McCallum David K

   
   7/13/2011 12:07 PM

   If using roll sod I think they could easily play on the surface. it might not be perfect but certainly playable to MLB standards. When we still had the sod farm we sold lots of roll sod and once it's down and if stapling as well it's pretty much in place.
   
   The do the Country Superfest each Memorial Day weekend inside of Tiger Stadium and by time it's football you would never know it was new sod.

   
   
   
   
10. Brett Morris

    

    0 posts
    
    7/13/2011 2:07 PM

    The biggest rugby league match of the year in Australia was played last week on an overseeded bermuda base laid 10 days before. This was a mesh style reinforcing and held up well to these guys. The right team won as well.
    
    [youtube">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxRGg-Fd08Q[/youtube">

    
    
    
    
11. Steve Nelson

    

    0 posts
    
    7/13/2011 4:07 PM

    Brett, thanks for the highlights of the state of origins match. I don't think the baseball boys will stress the field at all. Those guys sit out if their pinky hurts. Now...if I could just get my U10 sevens team to tackle like that this weekend all would be right in the world.

    
    
    
    
12. Joseph Traficano

    

    0 posts
    
    7/14/2011 5:07 PM

    Mike,
    the answer to your question is no the sod will not root down eventually it will over time. as with any event that has this type of timeline the sod is brought in at a thickness of 1.5 inches. that thickness or density allows an event to be played on the field in a short time. bill findley the groundskeeper does an outstanding job there as you know it is not an easy place to grow grass. it was discussed that they would use bermuda for re sod and change back to cool season next year
    
    joe traficano
    west coast turf

    
    
    
    
13. Michael Vogt

    

    2 posts
    
    7/20/2011 7:07 AM

    The details for the re-sod were in the Saint Louis Post Dispatch newspaper: Cool season trucked here in refrigerated semis, grass from Colorado. Install started on 7/19. Findley, head grounds keeper was a little concerned that the sod would just "lay ther" until favorable temps arrive later this year. Also said it would be "playabl" but not perfect with the main goal in keeping the turf alive over the next month. I have tickets to the Cubs / Cardinals game on the 31st, the Cubs may need an excuse; why not the sod!

    
    
    
    
14. William Smith

    

    0 posts
    
    7/20/2011 8:07 AM

    I went to the concert Sunday and it was one of the best I've seen. It's amazing they were able to tear the stage down and be laying sod already. With the temperatures the midwest is having I wouldn't want to watch that much sod. Temps are supposed to drop by next week so that might help.
    
    Bill Smith
    Panther Creek CC
    Springfield, IL