Module 2:

2.4 Carrying Capacity: Limitations on games on played

2.4.2 Managing to a carrying capacity

1   This is the key requirement to understand if a pitch is to be managed to a defined quality standard. In practice this is overlooked or ignored as the season progresses, because the need to get the game on overrides that of managing for pitch quality and a consistent playing experience throughout the playing season. So, in many cases, there is a trade-off taking place with getting the game on, superseding that of playing experience.

Having a good understanding of the potential carrying capacity of a football pitch helps not only in the game scheduling phase, including the likely number of games that could be played if a defined level of quality is to be consistently achieved, but also what enhancement work, such as drainage works – primary and secondary, may be needed to upgrade the pitch so that more games can be adequately accommodated.

2   Making dynamic pitch management transparent (section 2.3.8) and understandable to all users might be an approach that helps ensure the carrying capacity of a pitch is achieved.

Exploring the carrying capacity of pitches is a subject all on its own and would be something that is covered in another course, but for this course, it is useful to have introduced the concept because soil types and different pitch constructions do put constraints on what can realistically be achieved.

The general types of pitch construction and drainage, as well as a further explanation and practical examples of carrying capacity, are covered in Module 6: Turf science.