Post by John Anderson on Jan 24, 2016 15:38:47 GMT
The "National League" changed their rules this week on artificial pitches. With new regulations from FIFA on artificial pitches, both the NL and the Football League are on the brink of approving use of artificial pitches.
In addition, grass pitches will be graded in future. Currently the only check on a pitch is the size.
What complicates matters is the new "FIFA Pro Standard" pitches do not yet exist. Manufacturers are currently developing the new surfaces.
The existing "so called" 3G/4G pitches will only be useable for NL North and South and below in future.
One of the benefits of 3G/4G was always that you can use them for up to 50 hours per week, allowing revenue even on the morning of match day. However even current pitches vary in quality. The ones that last for 10 years (some are now doubting if 10 years is realistic) tend to be the lower quality pitches. The new FIFA Pro pitches will have a stated life of 5 years and have a much shorter payback time. To put it another way, each session will be double the price , taking 3/4/5G out of the reach of the community.
So if we were to put an artificial pitch down at Tatnam or The S*****m, it could be obsolete within a couple of quick promotions.
Maidstone are always put up as a success story, the standard bearers for 3G. The have led the push for 3G and although they denied it, they went for the cheapest option. They are now having to replace it, next season, after 5 years.
So artificial surfaces are here and here to stay. Wherever and whenever we develop a Stadium fit for the future, I believe it would be with an artificial pitch.
It is not the answer to all Tatnam's problems,as CK has stated, and the new clarity from the FL, NL and FIFA causes as many headaches as it cures.
However the rulings mean more and more clubs will go artificial whether we like it or not.
At Tatnam we would have to raise the pitch to keep back the tides and fit those thinking of Hamworthy, forget it.
Now the final thoughts that it would be good to be promoted this year as any thoughts of the Conference might be scuppered if we choose the wrong artificial pitch at the wrong time.
In addition, grass pitches will be graded in future. Currently the only check on a pitch is the size.
What complicates matters is the new "FIFA Pro Standard" pitches do not yet exist. Manufacturers are currently developing the new surfaces.
The existing "so called" 3G/4G pitches will only be useable for NL North and South and below in future.
One of the benefits of 3G/4G was always that you can use them for up to 50 hours per week, allowing revenue even on the morning of match day. However even current pitches vary in quality. The ones that last for 10 years (some are now doubting if 10 years is realistic) tend to be the lower quality pitches. The new FIFA Pro pitches will have a stated life of 5 years and have a much shorter payback time. To put it another way, each session will be double the price , taking 3/4/5G out of the reach of the community.
So if we were to put an artificial pitch down at Tatnam or The S*****m, it could be obsolete within a couple of quick promotions.
Maidstone are always put up as a success story, the standard bearers for 3G. The have led the push for 3G and although they denied it, they went for the cheapest option. They are now having to replace it, next season, after 5 years.
So artificial surfaces are here and here to stay. Wherever and whenever we develop a Stadium fit for the future, I believe it would be with an artificial pitch.
It is not the answer to all Tatnam's problems,as CK has stated, and the new clarity from the FL, NL and FIFA causes as many headaches as it cures.
However the rulings mean more and more clubs will go artificial whether we like it or not.
At Tatnam we would have to raise the pitch to keep back the tides and fit those thinking of Hamworthy, forget it.
Now the final thoughts that it would be good to be promoted this year as any thoughts of the Conference might be scuppered if we choose the wrong artificial pitch at the wrong time.