December 31, 1967. It is negative 14 degrees Fahrenheit, the wind is whirling, and the game is underway. A contest NFL Network would later declare as the greatest extreme weather game of all time, the Green Bay Packers take on the Dallas Cowboys in the coldest game the NFL has ever witnessed. It is so cold that the underground heating grid malfunctions, and the surface is reduced to a skating rink. Nonetheless, 50,000 strong sell out Lambeau Field to watch their beloved Pack Attack defeat America’s Team in an epic conference championship won on a classic Lombardi gamble.
While the weather at MetLife Stadium for Super Bowl XLVIII will not rival that of the ‘67 Ice Bowl, temperatures are supposed to be as low as 30 degrees with up to 25 mph wind gusts. If the meteorology holds true, the clash between Denver and Seattle will be the coldest Super Bowl to date, surpassing Super Bowl VI in New Orleans when the Cowboys beat the Rams in a 39 degree chiller.
While many players, coaches, and fans feel as though the Super Bowl is too prestigious a game to let Mother Nature play a role (note Don Shula’s recent comments), the decision to play in New Jersey was made several years ago, and commissioner Roger Goodell did not back away from his commitment of a “cold weather city” Super Bowl. Rain or shine, sleet or snow, the game will be played at the new Meadowlands.
Not only must each team prepare for the possibility of harsh conditions, but the stadium must be modernized and the grounds crew equipped with the latest technology to ensure a playable and entertaining environment for both the players and fans.
In this day and age, the primary goal of grounds teams around the NFL in cold weather situations is to keep the turf, whether artificial or natural, in a quality condition that will not impact the players’ running and cutting ability. Any stadium that is in the northern US requires extensive underground field heating systems to prevent discrepancies regarding weather-decided games.
It is important to note that such systems are not exclusively designed to melt snow in real grass stadiums. In fact, between games and throughout the offseason, the principal job of field heating is to condition the soil and ensure that the grass grows rapidly and healthily.
To give you a better understanding of the technological scope of field heating systems, the underground apparatus of Gillette Stadium in New England is constructed of 29 miles of one-inch, polyethylene piping (PEX) a few inches below the root zone. PEX piping is the widely accepted material to construct these systems, for it does not corrode and is noticeably more durable compared to alternatives, such as PVC, CPVC, and copper.
Numerous sensors are placed along the PEX pipes that trigger the system to activate heating once the soil reaches an undesirable temperature, typically around 50 degrees. Once the system initiates heating, gallons of water and glycol are pumped through the system. Glycol is the preferred liquid to combine with water due to its anti-freezing properties; in this way, underground systems will not malfunction from frigid temperatures like Lambeau Field during the Ice Bowl.
For good reason, Lambeau Field was the first stadium to install a field heating system. In 1967, Vince Lombardi ordered the mechanism implemented before the upcoming season—the same system was operating until 1997 when the stadium was upgraded. Nonetheless, the natural grass surface is badly damaged by the Antarctic winters in northern Wisconsin. To combat these conditions, the Lambeau crew uses an SGL (Stadium Grow Lighting) system.
This large contraption rolls across the field, emitting light from hundreds of greenhouse bulbs, day and night from October to December to tenderize and condition the grass for the harsh winds and icy temperatures seen in Green Bay.
However, MetLife stadium is not natural grass but the highly advanced, Speed Series S5-M artificial surface, by UBU Sports. While some conditioning is still necessary, Super Bowl organizers at MetLife put playing surface worries to rest by simply covering the field with a massive tarp and circulating warm air underneath.
Off the field, the Florida Firm, Athletic Recovery Zone, is providing the latest technology in heated benches for the big game. These ventilated benches, which can circulate either hot or cold air, release heat from vents located on the back of the seat and the base of the bench, creating an envelope of warm air for anyone standing near one. The value of these enhanced benches is great for both players and coaches. Essentially, the entire sideline transforms into a pocket of heat, allowing each team to focus more on the game and less on the weather. Psychologically, the Athletic Recovery Zone benches are a game changer.
In Russia, preparations for the Winter Games rage on as the Sochi Olympic Committee ushers in the best mechanisms for creating the best environment possible. The main order of business is artificial snow production through snow guns.
By shooting water vapor out of a pressurized chamber, through a specialized nozzle, and into the cold Russian atmosphere, snow is easily formed en masse. Reportedly, these snow machines make the fluffy white stuff smoother than Mother Nature herself.
After snow shortages in the 2010 Vancouver Games and the 2012 slopestyle skiing and snowboarding World Cup in Sochi, the Olympic Committee has taken appropriate measures to avoid future snow shortages.
Using natural powder as a foundation, the five separate hills in need of snow will be assisted by some 400 snow canons. Additionally, a snowmaking factory at RusSki Gorki Jumping Center can produce snow even if outdoor temperatures were to reach 59 degrees Fahrenheit—a precautionary plant in case of an event-time emergency.
Both football and the Winter Olympics reflect a widespread view that sports were meant to be played among the elements of nature. Athletes pride themselves on the fact that they can succeed in conditions unsuitable to the common man, and thanks to modern technology, these bouts with Mother Nature have become especially intriguing.