To say that elite-level sports are a big deal in Florida may sound like stating the obvious, but, if anything, it’s actually understating the obvious.
Before we dig a little deeper, let’s take one of these sports, golf. Because it’s a sport that relies wholly on the excellence of its playing surfaces.
Florida boasts more golf courses than any other state in the country, with, at the time of writing, 1,250 golf courses (California comes second with just 968 courses). Not only do these courses play a vital role in forming the environmental backdrop of the state and providing leisure opportunities for people living here, they also help to drive economic activity.
We looked earlier this year at the latest trends in golf course irrigation and the business case for a sustainable golf course irrigation system, and from golf to football to baseball, you could say that sports turf excellence matters more in Florida than anywhere else in the US.
Florida, A Golf Powerhouse
A small example of the wider impact of golf on the economy is provided by the Honda Classic, a professional golf tournament hosted by the PGA Tour which, in 2022, attracted 200,000 visitors to Palm Beach County and generated over $40 million in economic impact.
This kind of wider economic impact is amplified by the fact that, during the course of 2024, six PGA Tour events were scheduled to take place at various courses across Florida:
- February 28-March 3: The Classic in the Palm Beaches, Palm Beach Gardens
- March 7-10: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Orlando
- March 14-17: The Players, Ponte Vedra Beach
- March 21-24: Valspar Championship, Palm Harbor
- December 13-15: Grant Thornton Invitational, Naples
- December 21-22: PNC Championship, Orlando
The unique status of Florida as an elite sports powerhouse is underlined by the fact that California is the only other state visited this often by the global phenomenon that is the PGA tour.
Moving on however, although we’ve used the expression ‘elite sports’ a couple of times already, that’s because the degree to which Florida is home to sporting venues and facilities operating at the highest levels of excellence extends far beyond the realm of golf.
A Cool $146.5 Billion. Florida’s Sporting Dollar
According to a study published by the Florida Sports Foundation in 2023, the economic impact of the sports industry in Florida in the years 2019-20 and 2020-21 amounted to $146.5 billion.
The research, carried out by the independent Tourism Economics research firm, found that in addition to the headline figure, the money pumped into the Florida economy via sports supported 978,200 part-time and full-time jobs on an annual basis and generated $13.9 billion in state and local taxes.
While much of this financial activity is generated by amateur and leisure activities, the report stated that professional sports in Florida were responsible for $10.2 billion in economic impact, while college athletics contributed $5.5 billion in impact.
Looking at things from a national perspective, the Sports ETA State of the Industry Report 2023 listed the top ten states in the US for income generated by sports tourism in 2023 – the first time a ranking of this kind had been created – and found that Florida was the top rated state, ahead of the likes of Texas and California.
This status is underlined by the fact that Florida comes second in the list of states that are home to teams playing in the Big Four sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL) with nine such teams based in the state. In addition, Florida is also home to two major league soccer teams and Orlando City Pride, of the National Women’s Soccer League.
No Season Out of Play
As well as being home to multiple top level sporting franchises, Florida boasts the climate and playing conditions that make it the ideal destination for professional sports teams looking for somewhere to train during the off-season.
Perhaps the best example of this particular phenomenon is offered by the annual Florida Spring Training program. Taking place during the months of February and March, this is a tradition dating back more than 100 years which sees 15 Major League baseball teams decamp to Florida to train for the upcoming season.
It’s about more than simply training in ideal conditions, however, since 2023 saw almost 1.4 million baseball fans travel to Florida to attend various Spring Training locations. Since 2000, more than 34 million fans have attended Florida Spring Training Games, with the annual economic impact calculated at $687.1 million per year.
The Spring Training competition is known as the Florida Grapefruit League, and features the biggest names in baseball playing at facilities across Florida including Clover Park, BayCare Ballpark, and two facilities served by Hoover pump stations Ballpark of the Palm Beaches and CoolToday Park, the spring training home of the Altanta Braves.
It’s Got to be Green
Take a look at the Grapefruit League website listing these destinations and take note of one particular feature which it’s all too easy – as a sports fan or even keen amateur – to take for granted. Each of the baseball parks on the page features a lush, green playing surface. And that’s where irrigation expertise has a vital role to play.
Clearly, not all Florida’s sports tourism and economic activity are based on sports that require a turf playing surface; however, a significant number of sports - baseball, football and soccer in particular - depend on access to consistent, high-quality playing surfaces capable of handling everything that the sport, and the Florida climate can throw at them.
Case Studies
Hard Rock Stadium
To the non-expert eye, the idea of planting and growing a reasonable turf playing surface may seem relatively simple, but the truth of the matter is that in top level sport, the margins making the difference between failure and success are tight. And they apply to every blade of grass over which the athletes run, kick, dive, tackle and roll as much as they do any other item of sporting equipment.
One example of the kind of scientific rigor that’s applied to the creation of elite-level turf for high performance sport is provided by the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, home to the Miami Dolphins football team. The system in place to support the overall health of the turf and maintain consistent growth of deep rooted and healthy grass includes the following features:
- Wireless in-ground sensors which gather and relay information on the condition of the subsoil beneath the turf
- Remote 24/7 access to data on changing turf conditions via any web connected device
- 1.5 miles of drainage pipes installed under the turf surface to remove excess water
- System equipped to remove 18,000 gallons per minute from the turf if needed (including standing surface water)
LoanDepot Park
LoanDepot park is home to the Miami Marlins baseball team and is the only sports stadium to be featured in a list of the 15 most eco-friendly sustainable buildings in Florida compiled by the Building Renewable website.
This commitment to sustainability is reflected in every aspect of the construction and operation of the stadium, including the fact that the amount of water used is down 52% on that used by comparable facilities, with the use of potable water for irrigation purposes cut by 60%. Perhaps of even more interest in the context of this article, however, is the fact that the commitment to sustainability goes hand in hand with a micro-managed approach to the maintenance of the turf on which the games play out.
For the Marlins’ Head Groundskeeper, Chad Mulholland, this means analyzing a range of factors including ball trajectory, bat impact and player movements, as well as taking on board direct requests from coaches and players, like the one asking for the home plate area to be softened. Irrigation is then used to finely tune the playing surface, maintaining a moisture level which enables the synthetic turf surface – underlaid with crushed coconut shells and sand – to directly replicate the characteristics and playability of natural dirt and grass.
Artificial or Real?
The mention of artificial turf may seem strange in an article dedicated to sports turf irrigation but there are two reasons why it needs to be addressed.
First of all, artificial turf (as the LoanDepot Park story above illustrates) still requires carefully monitored and calibrated irrigation programs if they are to enable optimal performances. Secondly, the replacement of real turf with an artificial substitute is a practice which is still very much up for debate and while the discussions are wide ranging, much of the talk centers on player safety and environmental considerations.
An examination of the research into the relationship between sports injuries and playing surfaces uncovers a still-shifting picture of the risks that the move away from natural turf might present. Put simply, any sport – football, soccer, athletics for example – in which athletes make sudden shifts in speed or direction can lead to torn ligaments and twisted joints, and the condition of the playing surface, in combination with equipment such as footwear, can help to minimize that risk.
Dr. Calvin Hwang is a team doctor for Stanford University's football players and the San Jose Earthquakes soccer team, and while he is keen to point out that artificial turf is constantly evolving and improving (i.e. becoming more like natural turf) he is still certain, having studied the research over the years, that grass is safer.
A broad-ranging review into numerous studies carried out between 1972 and 2020 found that professional and amateur sports played on artificial turf – including football, soccer, rugby, field hockey and ultimate Frisbee – resulted in "a higher rate of foot and ankle injuries on artificial turf, both old-generation and new-generation turf, compared to natural grass.” To moderate perspective on these findings, the review also noted that the studies reporting a higher rate of injury on grass received funding from the artificial turf industry.
Another study involved an analysis of 4,801 NFL foot and leg injuries during regular season games played between 2012-2016. It found that there were 16% more injuries per play on artificial turf when compared to grass, and that if all of the games had been played on grass there would have been 319 fewer foot and leg injuries. When non-contact injuries were analyzed – likely to involve players’ feet sticking in the turf while their joints twist – the uptick in injuries rose to 20%.
One group with particularly strong and definite feelings on the topic of natural versus artificial turf is made up of, not surprisingly, the NFL players themselves, as represented by the NFL Players Association. Following incidents such as season-ending injuries to four time MVP Aaron Rodgers and Buffalo pass rusher Von Miller – both of which took place on artificial turf – the the NFLPA issued a call for the league to switch all surfaces to grass.
Elsewhere, a survey carried out by the NFLPA into the use of artificial turf versus natural grass found that almost 93% of players listed artificial turf as an impediment to their careers, while 91% stated that it made them feel more fatigued and sore. The good news for NFL players based in Florida is that the three NFL stadiums in the state – home to Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins – all utilize natural turf. That’s not to say that the topic isn’t very much a live one across Florida, however, with recent news stories detailing clashes between the authorities across South Florida and local residents when the former opted to rip up natural grass fields and install artificial turf. The authorities argue that the artificial turf requires less maintenance and will cut the use of fertilizers and pesticides, while locals counter that the artificial plastic turf will become dangerously hot at the height of summer and will shed harmful micro-plastics into the wider environment.
The Importance of Irrigation
It seems clear that, where possible, natural turf is the preferred option for players - and it’s also seen as a better fit for the wider environment, local wildlife and the Florida climate.
This is only the case, however, if state of the art irrigation systems are in place to maintain a healthy turf. Systems with the ability to respond in real time to shifts in weather patterns, changing seasons and use - ensuring that the turf only ever receives exactly as much or as little irrigation as is required.
At the highest level, sports teams need to be able to trust in the quality and consistency of the playing surface across the sporting calendar and through different seasons of the year.
For a natural turf the initial equation at least is relatively simple – too much irrigation will lead to a muddy, sticky surface across which neither players nor ball can move freely, while too little will create a surface which is overly-hard and more likely to cause injuries, as well as damaging the health of the grass itself.
Even sports facilities that make use of artificial solutions will need an irrigation system they can depend on. One equipped to cool the surface down when needed, to clean the playing surface, to monitor moisture levels and to flag up when drainage is required.
It should be remembered that different sports will require different types of playing surface, and that this will be reflected in the irrigation programs employed. Football and soccer, for example, call for turf which can cope with constant heavy foot traffic, which will influence the type of grass chosen (the NFL teams in Florida which use natural turf all opt for Bermuda grass, for example) and the rate and manner in which irrigation is applied. Baseball and softball combine grass areas which need regular, targeted irrigation to thrive - and dirt infields that need to be kept fairly dry.
Golf offers a particularly complex challenge in terms of irrigation, due to the large area covered by a golf course and the variety of terrain – fairways, greens and rough – which need to be maintained.
What Matters Most?
So, does it matter if sports turf irrigation falls a little short of dependable or if it sometimes fails? Absolutely! Every sports ground deserves a holistic, reliable and value-driven approach to irrigation. One that enables fine-tuning at every level, to make every drop of water count - technologically advanced irrigation systems that protect and nourish the field, protect the investment, allow you to spot problems before they take hold - and limit waste. It’s highly unlikely any sports field owners would disagree with any of this.
In our view, it’s clear that from aesthetics and playability to economics and environmental impact, dependable and efficient irrigation plays a significant role in elite-level sport and its contribution to the economy of a place like Florida. Perhaps even more importantly, in supporting the role of sport in helping to bolster social and community cohesion, encourage exercise and activity and forge the identity of individuals and the places they live in.
