Millions worldwide have caught World Cup fever. Social media are filled with examples of fans from other countries sharing their experiences as they criss-cross the United States. According to MediaPost, viewership is double that of the 2022 event held in Qatar and is on pace to set new ratings records for the event.
Amid the chaos and celebrations, many TV broadcasts, podcasts and social media posts ask the same thing — how did FIFA produce strikingly consistent playing conditions at more than a dozen sites throughout three North American countries.
The answer is simple — it is because of the work of John Sorochan, Ph.D., of the University of Tennessee, and Trey Rogers, Ph.D., of Michigan State University, who have worked with FIFA for years building up to the hottest sports spectacle of the year.
To learn more about the process of producing consistent playing conditions at 16 stadiums across a variety of climates check out this April edition of Beyond the Green. Sorochan, who has become the most popular person in turf with interviews appearing in the New York Times, on NPR and on German radio, among others.
This conversation, sponsored by Molasses Kings, addresses how Sorochan established a relationship with FIFA through Alan Ferguson, the association’s senior pitch manager, the challenges of developing protocols that produce similar conditions at 16 different stadiums across varied climates from Mexico City to Seattle and from Boston to Miami, and the innovative research being conducted.
Key points include converting synthetic turf stadiums to natural grass using hybrid reinforcement technology, growing sod on plastic for better transplant success, and ensuring uniform playing conditions across venues using different grass types – Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass for cooler climates, and hybrid Bermudagrass for warmer regions.
Sorochan also describes the FIFA-funded research facility at the University of Tennessee that simulates conditions inside domed stadiums and the development of the flex testing device to measure field uniformity. The interview highlights the scientific approach FIFA is taking to field management and the growth of the turfgrass research program at the University of Tennessee from humble beginnings to a world-class operation.
