A seasons, many of the
GMA
Balancing acts: how grounds teams are maximising playing surfaces during the summer events season
s the final whistles blow on the football and rugby
A seasons, many of the
UK’ s biggest venues don’ t switch off, they switch gears.
Off-season events have become a key means of maximising revenue for clubs and venues. But whilst the stage lights grab all the headlines, it’ s the grounds teams who are powering the show behind the scenes.
And the challenges? They’ re as complex as the stage rigging.
“ When I was at Coventry City, we had high-profile concerts most summers,” says Julien Morris, now Senior Regional Pitch Advisor at the Grounds Management Association( GMA).“ We hosted the likes of Coldplay, Muse and Oasis. The ground staff would be there through all the concert build, keeping an absolute hawk eye on equipment and movements – especially when the flooring was laid, which was our biggest headache.”
It’ s this kind of pressure that grounds staff across the UK are becoming increasingly familiar with. Concert organisers, thirdparty venue managers and club operations teams all have their role, but it’ s the pitch teams who take on the responsibility of recovery, often with only a few weeks to prepare for pre-season fixtures.
“ As a groundsperson, you always hoped the off-season events were done by the end of June,” Julien adds.“ That would give you six weeks before potential pre-season fixtures. Again, that’ s a revenue generator. Clubs are often keen to get a game or two at home before the season starts.”
And it’ s not just football. Whilst stadium concerts are often associated with places like Wembley and Anfield, cricket venues are no strangers to the live event circuit.
“ In the Northwest, Lancashire County Cricket Club is one of the biggest concert venues,” says Ian Mather-Brewster, Cricket Key Account Manager at the GMA.“ They have at least one concert or set of concerts every year- right in the middle of the cricket season.”
He points to the 2017 One Love Manchester concert, attended by some 55,000 people, as a clear example of the pressures grounds teams face.“ That was a challenge for the ground staff because
6 GroundskeepingJournal. co. uk | July / August 2025