Grass Pitch For UEFA Champions League Final

Imagine if you can ... 28 refrigerated trucks carrying 8,000 m2 of grass turf on a journey over 7 days covering more than 1,000 miles - and all for just one football match! This was the scenario ahead of the new natural grass pitch installation at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium - the 'stage' for the UEFA Champions League Final on 21 May 2008 where Man Utd play Chelsea.

In what promises to be a classic, all British final, there's no question that the pitch will play a vital role. Providing a pitch suitable for world class players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Andriy Shevchenko and Didier Drogba is no easy matter but thanks to Support In Sport (SIS) and to the 10-man strong SIS team who installed the new natural grass pitch, there should be plenty to smile about when the match finally gets under way.

“The operation went very smoothly,” said George Mullan, SIS Chief Executive Officer. “The surface was levelled using box grade lasers to deliver levels that will allow both teams to play a passing game.

Nice to think too that the involvement of SIS makes it an even more all British affair. Should be a night to remember!

Photograph courtesy of Support In Sport

Luzhniki Stadium pitch installation - full story with Slide Show

EUFA Champions League Final Pitch - SIS Official Press Release

Installing An Artificial Grass Lawn

Imagine looking out onto a luscious lawn that's soft and clean underfoot, green all year round and never goes yellow, hard or muddy. Moreover, imagine having that AND not having to get the lawn mower out ever again! This is the scenario with an artificial grass lawn.

Not only that, but by having an artificial lawn you will avoid using pesticides in the garden - something that has to be done very carefully to avoid potential environmental and human health hazards. The Pesticides Safety Directorate official website offers detailed guidelines on the subject.

We receive many enquiries from people considering the idea of an artificial lawn; indeed many of them are nervous as to whether their garden might even be suitable. In truth there are very few instances where it's not possible to have an artificial lawn installed.

If it's a small area with no odd shape to it, it's possible for you to install the artificial grass yourself. Just be sure to buy quality artificial grass such as our Lifestyle® Lawn grass and the correct type of tape and adhesive. Visit our artificial grass online store to see what we recommend. We also offer an Artificial Grass Installation Photo Guide that you can download plus a set of written Artificial Grass Installation Guides to choose from.

Conversely, if the area you want to convert to an artificial lawn is quite large and/or has an unusual shape or incline etc, then you should consider having a professional installation company do the work. As the UK's leading manufacturer of artificial grass have our own network of installers, stockists and distributors. You can search for a local installer on artificial-grass.com or alternatively feel free to call our Customer Service Department for advice - UK Freephone 0800 6521281. If you want to see a professional team at work, we even have a Slide Show of the step by step process undertaken in a recent artificial lawn installation done by one of our installers.

Rugby Pitch Success - Artificial Grass Scores Great Conversion

Moving towards the end of 2007, we are delighted to be able to look back on the year and see that artificial grass has won more media coverage than ever before – and all of it favourable. Great tabloid press reviews in the summer, Trade Show success and the recent TV Garden Makeover inclusion of our Lifestyle Lawn have given a our artificial grass products an emphatic ‘seal of approval’ for the UK domestic market.

However, the success story of artificial grass doesn’t end there – the sports sector too has been lending its approval to the product throughout the year. One such example is the recent review from a 2007 Rugby World Cup referee who was the man in the middle for the first game played on the new artificial grass pitch at Newcastle Falcons and Gosforth Rugby Club. After the game, referee Dave Pearson was asked to comment on his experience of the artificial grass surface and had nothing but praise for its characteristics. Here’s an extract from Dave Pearson’s interview with Richard Neale of the Newcastle Journal:

“It’s an outstanding pitch to run on and, coming off, it’s the best my legs have ever felt after a game for a long time … the pitch absorbs a lot of the pressure you put on your legs so you aren’t getting the jarring you get on some surfaces. At the World Cup some of the pitches we used were very hard and weren’t very good for your ankles and knees. Gosforth’s pitch was better than anything I used at the (2007) World Cup.”

Praise indeed, and the kind that the new generation of artificial grass for sport merits - based on practical use and credible experience.

Photograph courtesy of Support In Sport who installed the pitch. Read the full artificial pitch installation story here.