Tulsa World: Super Bowl ‘Water Park’ Playing Surface Developed at Oklahoma State University

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State Farm Stadium Turf2
Image via youTube.

The playing surface at Super Bowl that caused players from both teams to slip and slide across the field was developed at Oklahoma State University, writes Dean Ruhl for the Tulsa World.

“It was slick,” said Philadelphia offensive lineman Jordan Mailata. “You had to get your whole foot in the ground. If you try and use just your toe, you’d slip right away. You saw the receivers — it was like a water park out there. And we’re playing on grass.”

The problems with the field were easily noticeable to viewers who took to social media to express their displeasure. Some put the blame on OSU, which prompted the institution to respond with a statement on Monday.

“While OSU scientists developed and patented Tahoma 31, they had no role in creating or preparing the field for Super Bowl LVII,” said the university. “Tahoma 31 was used for the base layer, but the field also was seeded with a top layer of ryegrass, which has slick leaf surfaces when damp. That and other factors may have contributed to traction issues during play.”

Read more about the controversial surface in the Tulsa World.

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A detailed explanation on why the Super Bowl turf was so slippery Sunday.

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