Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans is sharply critical of the turf at Munich’s Allianz Arena and he’s not alone. But why is the surface at FC Bayern’s stadium causing such a row?

Round two months after an NFL regular season game was played on German soil for the first time, Mike Evans has been harshly critical of the turf at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

“There have been some really bad turf fields this year,” the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver told US journalists at a press conference. “Germany was the worst I’ve ever played on. It was a great experience, but the pitch itself was incredibly bad and dangerous. “

So the pass receiver explained that the turf in the Bavarian capital was full of “mud”: “It was mud with a bit of grass sticking out. You couldn’t run any routes there. It was bad. Hopefully they will fix it,” he said in view of other matches to be played at FC Bayern’s home ground.

Turf at Allianz Arena causes spat

That the topic of turf in the NFL is a critical one has not only been clear since the game in Munich. Artificial turf or natural grass? A discussion that has long been hotly debated in the world’s best football league. The crucial question is: Which surface is more likely to cause injury?

As recently as November, a data analysis by “ESPN” for the 2018 to 2021 seasons showed that, in percentage terms, injuries without an opponent’s intervention occur with roughly equal frequency on so-called turf (artificial grass) and on real grass.

However, many players have a completely different opinion. They feel much safer on natural grass and made this clear on social media under the hashtag SaferFields.

Natural or artificial turf?

Rams receiver Cooper Kupp wrote about it on Twitter, “I think we – and all other teams – should play on natural grass. Let’s discuss it.”

Former pro JC Tretter, now president of the NFLPA players’ association, agreed with the pass receiver: “Both NFL and NFLPA experts agree on the data – and yet the NFL doesn’t protect players from suboptimal surfaces.”

In the wake of complaints about inconsistent surfaces at the 32 NFL stadiums, criticism of differences in treatment also surfaced. Packers star David Bakhtiari, for example, enthused, “It’s crazy. When European football clubs play here, the artificial turf fields are quickly changed to natural grass. Why doesn’t that apply to our players? There can be no excuse league-wide, even in Green Bay grass can grow for the NFL season. “

It’s crazy. When European soccer clubs come here to play, the stadiums quickly convert from turf to grass. WHY NOT FOR ITS OWN PLAYERS?!? There’s no excuse league wide; EVEN Green Bay can have/grow grass for the season! SaferFields

– David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) November 12, 2022

So if natural grass is possible even in the Frozen Tundra in Wisconsin, why not elsewhere?

Seahawks players rage over Munich turf

The Allianz Arena in Munich has the natural surface so beloved by NFL professionals, but it was not up to the players’ standards. During the game between the Buccaneers and Seahawks, one did not even need to be an expert to recognise certain imponderables.

Players slipped again and again, and the surface generally gave the impression of being soapy and slippery. Even superstar Tom Brady, who raved about the atmosphere in the Allianz Arena, struggled. He also landed on the green after an unsuccessful trick play.

There was criticism of the conditions from many quarters. “It was just hard for everybody, you could all see that,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll explained. Two of his players, meanwhile, phrased their opinion much less politely.

“The NFL makes us fly 10 hours to play on a shitty field like this. That’s just crazy,” linebacker Bruce Irvin raged on Twitter. Long snapper Taylor Ott wrote: “We play internationally on fields not designed for football, players slip everywhere and get injured

The NFL made us fly 10 hours to play on a terrible ass field like that shits Krazy

– Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin_WVU11) November 14, 2022

Pads always difficult at international matches

So the problem is by no means limited to Munich; games in London and Mexico City also fail to excite US athletes when it comes to surfaces.

But what exactly made the grass in the Allianz Arena so problematic? The answer came from Cameron Brate. The Buccaneers’ tight end explained the difficulties in an interview – and also provided a solution.

“The turf is cut differently and the surface is much softer. You have to get used to that. We already saw at the kick-off that you slip away quickly. So we knew right away what to expect and adjusted accordingly.”

And further: “It helps to put your feet more into the ground when you change direction, then you don’t slip away so much.”

The 31-year-old did not want to lament too much, by the way. “Of course, it’s not the best conditions, but they’re the same for both teams. “