Case Study: Safe, Low-Maintenance Artificial Turf Creates a Destination for Play

Background

Colby Fulfer, Chief of Staff for the City of Springdale, Arkansas, isn’t afraid to jump into cutting edge products and technologies, as long as he’s done his homework. So, when it came time to install 14 new sports fields in 2023, he was looking for the best playing surface on the market that would be reliably safe for athletes.

They also wanted lower maintenance for their fields. The city of Springdale has won awards for the quality of their natural grass fields, so they know maintenance can be costly. Because the field maintenance required for artificial turf is much lower than natural grass, with no mowing, irrigation, chemical treatment or other intensive upkeep needed, the city began considering artificial turf fields.

Solution

After reviewing their options, the city found Pivot^® Performance Turf by TenCate to be advantageously innovative, with durability backed by a 12-year warranty, more fibers than competitive turf systems, no performance infill and low field maintenance.

With no rubber pellets or sand, Pivot may be the best option for low-maintenance artificial turf on the market. No performance infill means minimal field grooming and no migration of infill. It promises a stable, consistent playing surface, maintaining its performance and integrity season after season. In a 12-year period — the longest warranty in the industry — a lot of costly hours of field maintenance are freed up. This, according to Fulfer, allows the city to put dollars toward other things for the community.

Alongside low-maintenance design and game-ready performance, Pivot continues to deliver proven safety backed by testing. TenCate’s annual GMAX testing report (which measures how much the turf absorbs shock away from players) puts Fulfer’s mind at ease. “When you get into a discussion about CTs and concussions, safety is super important. The annual GMAX testing report helps us know that our Pivot turf is absorbing the shock as opposed to the child or the athlete.”

Results

The unbeatable performance, low field maintenance and safety features that earned Fulfer’s trust and the city’s commitment are serving Springdale well across softball, baseball, soccer and lacrosse fields.

Even the ease of installation was notable to Fulfer. “Every question we had was answered in a timely manner… they [TenCate] were always quick to respond to us and things were done beyond our expectations. We’ve loved this relationship, and they have gone above and beyond everything we expected.”

And a unique benefit has emerged — the city is getting requests from other nearby communities, towns and organizations to use the fields. Athletes love the comfort and feel of the surface, which plays like natural grass. That enviable feel and performance of Pivot sports fields are bringing new people to the city each year.

Conclusion

This investment is delivering strong returns for the city of Springdale, expanding access to safe playing surfaces for their youth and community members, freeing up maintenance funds and helping their city become a destination for Arkansas athletes.

Pivot’s low-maintenance artificial turf has put Springdale on the cutting edge of sports turf innovation — and on the map as a destination for play.