Allianz Arena gets 600 rolls of hybrid turf from near Milan

The Allianz Arena will receive a new football pitch made from about 600 rolls of hybrid turf delivered from near Milan, BR reported. Twenty-four lorries are transporting the turf to Munich in time for the Telekom Cup on August 15.

The stadium hosted concerts by BTS, Linkin Park and Helene Fischer this summer, attracting more than 500,000 visitors. Concert stages, protective flooring and heavy vehicles heavily compacted the ground, which had to be loosened and redistributed before the new pitch could be installed.

The pitch must be precisely graded, with the centre about 20 centimetres higher than the edges so rainwater can drain away. A rotating laser sends signals to sensors on the grading blade, which adjusts its height automatically. However, turf specialist Stefan Altmeyer must still drive across the entire pitch several times to check and correct the levels.

The new hybrid turf combines natural grass with stabilising plastic fibres. This is intended to keep the surface from shifting during rapid movements, tackles and sudden stops. FC Bayern groundskeeper Peter Sauer said pure natural turf could break apart and become uneven.

The turf is harvested near Milan at night, rolled up and loaded directly onto lorries. The journey to Munich usually takes eight to ten hours. The rolls are cooled and their temperature is monitored during transport, but they cannot be watered because that could lead to turf diseases. Italian turf specialists must therefore install them immediately after delivery.

Each roll weighs about 800 kilograms. After laying the turf, Sauer and his team will mark out the pitch.

The new grass will remain in place only until the NFL game on November 15. American football requires different markings, and removing those lines and marking the pitch again for football would hardly be possible, Sauer said. Another turf replacement is therefore planned for November, again using a hybrid system supplied from near Milan.