The Super Bowl playing surface was center stage Sunday night, and the turfgrass variety at State Farm Stadium was thrust into the national spotlight as players for both teams struggled with footing.
As a result, Tahoma 31 bermudagrass was trending for the wrong reasons, and sports field management professionals were among those who weighed in on the discussion. The following are some industry Tweets on the topic:
@Tahoma31Bermuda on Twitter shared a YouTube video from Ryan Knorr Lawn Care discussing the situation:
Oklahoma State University, which developed Tahoma 31, released a statement this week: “While OSU scientists developed and patented Tahoma 31, they had no role in creating or preparing the field for Super Bowl LVII. Tahoma 31 was used for the base layer, but the field also was seeded with a top layer of ryegrass, which has slick leaf surfaces when damp. That and other factors may have contributed to traction issues during play.”