While watching a football match, you may have noticed the striped turf on a football pitch. These stripes alternate: one is lighter and one is darker. The turf in good stadiums around the world is almost always mowed in wide, neat stripes. There are several variations on why this is done: some believe that the grass is painted in different colors for decoration, while others think they are different varieties of grass.
Much like the precision and attention to detail seen in the maintenance of these pitches, online casinos also offer meticulously crafted experiences to attract and engage users. Just as groundskeepers use specific techniques to enhance the visual appeal and functionality of a football pitch, online casinos use promotional strategies to enhance player engagement. For example, using Richard casino promo codes allows players to unlock unique benefits, echoing the way a well-maintained pitch can improve the quality of a game.
After reading this article, you will have answers to the questions why a football pitch is striped, how, why, and who makes these stripes on football pitches.
A football pitch is a complex system
According to the official FIFA rules, the height of the grass on a football pitch should not be more than 3.5 cm. Each pitch is a complex structure with several layers. At the very bottom is a layer of crushed stone. It contains a drainage system that drains excess moisture away from the stadium so that there are no puddles on the surface of the pitch. Above is the heating system - heating pipes that provide the necessary temperature regime for lawn growth in the cold season. Next comes the root zone - sand. And the topmost layer is the lawn, which consists of different grass varieties. And that's not all. For a good looking lawn you need an automatic watering system, as well as special lamps that warm up the grass during cold weather.
The last thing to be applied to a football pitch is the football pitch marking. Read the article about markings to find out where the three circles are drawn on the football pitch.
A great visual effect is given by the lighting
Excessive lengths of grass in the stadium are removed with a lawnmower. When the grass is cut, a special roller runs across the lawn, which presses the grass in a certain direction - this is another reason why the football pitch is striped. As the roller moves towards the TV camera we see a darker colour, because we can only see the top of the lawn. When the rink moves in the opposite direction, the grass looks lighter because the light is reflected from the grass stalks.
Laying the grass in different directions makes it easier to judge the distance
This mowing of the football pitch is not just for beauty. It helps referees, commentators and spectators to get a better sense of what is happening on the pitch. Before the introduction of video replays in football, it was easier for the touch referee to identify offside or control the ball out of bounds, and easier for spectators to understand from what distance a player hit the ball on goal.
In the modern world, the striped football pitch has lost its functionality
In 2021, stripes on football pitches are needed more for decoration. After the introduction of VAR, it is much easier for football referees to record not only offsides but also other offences during matches, and thanks to infographics all viewers can see online the distance to the goal during a penalty kick and how correctly the referee measured the distance from the ball to the wall. Read more about what is offside in football.