The New England Patriots are scrambling to install a new artificial turf field at Gillette Stadium ahead of their upcoming preseason game after the current surface was declared "noncompliant" by the NFL and NFL Players Association's independent laboratory testing protocol. The issue arose after the stadium hosted matches during the recent FIFA World Cup, which necessitated the temporary installation of a natural grass playing surface.
Following the conclusion of the World Cup, the natural grass was removed, and an artificial turf was re-installed. However, this newly laid turf has now fallen under scrutiny. According to ESPN's Patriots reporter Mike Reiss, the league's testing determined the surface did not meet the required standards.
Patriots chief operating officer Jim Nolan informed Reiss that a replacement field is scheduled to be put in place this week. "The field we're installing is the latest version of the field we took out in January," Nolan stated. "From a player perspective, it will be incredibly consistent with what they played on last year."
If the replacement field fails inspection, the preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts, scheduled for next Thursday, could be canceled. This situation echoes past incidents where playing surface issues led to game cancellations. Notably, ten years ago, the Hall of Fame Game between the Colts and the Packers was called off due to issues with paint on the field that had become "congealed and rubberized." More distantly, a game at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium between the Eagles and Ravens was canceled because of "uneven cutouts" in its playing surface, which at the time accommodated both football and baseball.
