Pitch Presentation: Negative Impact on Sustainability?

Has the drive for a 'perfect pitch' negatively impacted on pitch sustainability?

We all want to see a well-presented sports pitch, but have we taken our eye off the bigger picture of sustainability by trying to create a perfect pitch, however that actually is defined?

The Performance Quality Standards framework is used as an objective measure of the condition of a pitch. One of the three categories within the framework deals with 'Presentational Quality'; the others being Structural Quality and Playing Quality.

Have grounds managers been unduly influenced by comments and perceptions of others within and outside the industry, in particular, to strive for a 'perfect pitch'? This aim may actually be unachievable because there is no agreed definition of what this means, the typical inputs are costly in time, equipment and materials, whilst from an environment perspective undesirable stress is also a typical outcome for the grass sward: All factors which are opposite those with minimal inputs for sustainability to be achieved.

Presentational quality can be considered as a component (or sub-set) of social sustainability and this is especially influenced by others. In essence this is a psychological driver which can negatively impact on the sustainability of a pitch, yet it is the positive image of what has been achieved which is always portrayed within media, rather than what has been needed and the impact of the resources to create the presented conditions.

An ‘average' pitch can be made to look much better than it is if measured objectively with a range of performance standards by being well presented. The drive for an excellent pitch is often consumed by the desire to provide additional, and continued, 'attention to detail', in basic terms this is to tinker; to somehow try and make it better than what is already excellent is questionable.

The psychological desire to continue to be seen to improve may actually be causing more harm than good and may not be adding any tangible benefit at all. The concept of the law of diminishing returns is reached well before an excellent pitch has been produced, although identifying optimum inputs to optimum (sustainable) outcomes is challenging.

There are many motives at play here but throwing additional and often unnecessary resources at a situation which is already excellent, by making so called ‘minor gains' will typically be negatively impacting on the sustainability of a pitch. Increasing resource inputs, which effectively results in much wasted resources if judged against significance of gains made, including energy inputs - much of which is embedded within materials consumed in pitch maintenance, does not sit well with a sustainable approach to turf management.

TV pundits, managers, coaches, sports commentators and the media have little understanding and only a general interest in what is needed in maintaining and managing a sports pitch, yet they will comment on how good a pitch is, or more likely if there appears to be a minor or major issue with a pitch, by basing their opinion on whether their team has either won or lost a game.

The desire to reduce the chance of any negative comment happening psychologically drives groundstaff to search for that (elusive) 'perfect pitch', having misunderstood that they already have the most excellent pitch possible (which is actually the perfect pitch).

Over engineering and overcomplicating work programmes will negatively impact on the grass sward, creating conditions which will more likely reduce the chances of maintaining an ideal playing surface in a sustainable (i.e. for the long-term) way.

This raises a most fundamental question of 'What is meant by sustainability when applied to sports pitches? Often you will see people post on social media that they have a 'sustainable pitch', however, this might, for example, be in October which is only partly into the football playing season and growth is still good, or they have changed from one type of material input to a 'greener' one. Why the word sustainable even been used in this context is often a mystery as it has no meaning to what has been said in the post.

What we are seeing here is a clear attempt to engage with the concept, maybe also some greenwashing, but a clear lack of any understanding of the wider holistic approach needed to define, manage and then evaluate the process of sustainable management is quite evident.

The desire to create a perfect pitch should be encouraged, but aspirations need to be balanced with reflecting on how this can be achieved sustainably. Just because something can be achieved doesn't mean to say that it should be, especially if this has a negative impact on sustainability.