As FIFA's World Cup grass conversions reignite the turf debate, Davis says he never wavered on his stance.
The World Cup has brought attention back to the debate of turf versus grass fields, with the temporary installments across the league showing that it certainly can be done.
Many players have spoken out about the desire for grass installed in NFL stadiums, but recently, a team owner rarely advocated for it as Mark Davis went to bat for his Las Vegas Raiders players.
He told The L.A. Times that he “always felt that football should be played on grass,” citing safety as the top priority – as do the players.
Money is often the primary factor in most decisions, and it certainly as at the heart of the debate here, but Davis took a stance that it wouldn’t play a role at Allegiant Stadium.
In fact, he said that he refused to commit to the new stadium without knowing that grass was a feasible option and insists that the added cost is worth it for the safety of his players.
To read more about the owner’s comments and their importance, here is the full story from Raiders Roundtable writer Bob McCullough.
FIFA has been proving what was said to be impossible for the league as the debate has been renewed while multiple stadiums converted to the desired playing surface for the World Cup.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is one of the public voices advocating for the switch, noting how much it’s preferred by the players.
However, NFL Field Director Nick Pappas told The Times that while statistically, there isn’t a significant difference between the playing surfaces with injury rates, they are still working to improving surfaces.
It might just take more voices of those in power, and owners such as Davis are important ones in that.
