The first playing surface at Ford Field lasted 11 seasons. The second, a mere six.
The third installment of turf being laid at the Detroit Lions’ home stadium this month probably will have an even shorter shelf life, but there’s still no chance the venue goes to natural grass.
“No,” Ford Field vice president of operations Todd Argust said Thursday. “There’s no indoor facility that you can grow grass in, unless you’re in a situation like an Arizona where there’s actual trays that can go outside. We don’t have the footprint here to accomplish that.”
The Lions are a week into the installation process of their new playing surface, a FieldTurf Classic HD system that’s similar to what they’ve played on since Ford Field opened in 2002.