When it was built in 1996, the Baltimore Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium had a grass field. But issues with shade and weather eventually led the facility to replace it with artificial turf.
According to Don Follett, the stadium’s head groundskeeper and senior director of fields and grounds, surveys show most NFL players would prefer to play and practice on real grass. That’s one of the reasons Ravens owners approved returning M&T Bank Stadium to natural turf — a project that started in August 2015.
Now that the brand-new field is in place for the 2016 NFL season, Follett will be depending on Toro® equipment to maintain it. He’ll also be counting on his local distributor, Turf Equipment and Supply Company, in Jessup, MD.
“This is the National Football League and they always try and have the best — to hold the best performance for the fans — and Toro is the best equipment out there,” Follett said.
Watch the video below for a look at the field replacement process from start to finish and more details about it from Follett.