Synthetic Turf originated in the 1960’s but it wasn’t until the 1980’s where it gained popularity in many different arenas. Today, synthetic turf has undergone vast technological improvements with upgrades in durability, realism to natural grass, safety and drainage. This has led many markets to convert from natural grass to synthetic.

It is estimated that approximately 59 million square feet of synthetic turf was installed in 2005 for full-size (greater than 60,000 square feet) athletic fields. AMI believes that the market will continue to grow at this rate through 2009 to approximately 124 million square feet. Primary targets are the 45,000 + colleges, high schools and middle schools in the U.S., many with multiple fields. (AMI, 2005)

In North America, the Synthetic Turf Council estimates that annual full-size installations of synthetic turf for athletic fields in the U.S. increased approximately 100% from 2003-2005, from approximately 400 installations in 2003 to approximately 800 in 2005 (Synthetic Turf Council, 2005)

The statistics show that synthetic turf is a growing industry and a smart decision for many organizations, educational establishments and individual home owners. There are many benefits in converting to synthetic:

• Three times the increase in total playing hours versus natural turf
• Drastically lower operating / maintenance costs
• Increased playing surface safety (excellent playability – good bounces, even turf, no divots, etc)
• Environmental considerations (eliminating watering, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, recycled tires for infill)

360 Sports Systems is your complete resource for design, construction, installation and maintenance needs for athletic fields, landscapes, golf courses, playgrounds and public property.