Different sports asks for different strategies at Citi Field

Citi Field hosts 81 home games per season, all taking place within just six months. These games are often scheduled in long home stands, with 7 to 10 games played over as many days. This puts continuous pressure on the pitch, leaving little time for the grass to recover.

The stadium is also a multi-purpose venue, used for football, concerts and other large-scale events. Each event affects the field in different ways. Baseball brings regular wear to areas like the sections next to the base paths and warm-up zones, while football and concerts can impact the entire pitch, but both also have specific high-wear areas. The switch between different type of events makes it difficult to manage the surface evenly.

The short gaps between events limit the amount of maintenance that can be done. With very little downtime, the grounds team must work quickly to prepare the pitch for the next activity. There is often no room for delay, even when the field has been heavily used the day before.

Another challenge is the wide variety of equipment and structures that move across the field during event changes. Concert stages, protective coverings and goalposts all need to be set up and removed without causing extra damage to the turf.

All of these factors together create a highly demanding environment. The field must be ready for back-to-back events, and the pressure on the grass is constant. Managing this level of use requires close coordination and fast, efficient turf care between every event.

To manage the high demands on the pitch at Citi Field, the grounds team uses a combination of LED grow lights and UVC technology to support grass health and recovery throughout the year.

Three LED120 units are positioned strategically depending on the type of event taking place. During the summer concert season, they are used in the concert stage area to recover the grass after the pressure of heavy equipment. When football season begins, these units focus on the goalmouth and several other smaller high-traffic areas to ensure strong coverage. For baseball, the LED120s target the most worn zones where traffic is consistently highest. In addition, two BU10 units are deployed to supplement growth in critical spots, providing additional light and encouraging turf resilience during periods of intensive use.

To further protect the pitch, Citi Field uses the UVC180 system at the concert floor area before it’s laid and after it’s removed. This UVC treatment acts as an extra tool for the grounds team to combat fungal diseases and maintain turf health. It is also used before placing the baseball tarp during hot and humid conditions, helping to reduce disease pressure when the grass is covered and airflow is limited.

This combined lighting and UVC strategy allows the grounds team to proactively manage grass quality in high-use areas, reduce recovery times between events and keep the pitch in excellent condition despite the diverse and demanding event schedule.

Citi Field has succeeded in maintaining a strong, high-performing pitch throughout an intense calendar of baseball, football and concerts. Even in high-traffic zones, the grass remains healthy, withstanding repeated use while still recovering quickly between events. This has significantly reduced the need for re-sodding and major repairs during the season.

The turf retains its visual quality and supports fast, dynamic play, aided by shorter mowing heights and consistent coverage. The grounds team’s preventative approach helps control disease pressure, ensuring the pitch remains resilient under all conditions.

Together, these practices result in a reliable and visually strong surface that consistently meets the expectations of athletes, organisers and fans alike.