SPORTS & PLAY
THE VITAL ROLE OF SPORTS PITCH MANAGEMENT
PLATFORMS
IN THE FUTURE OF TURF
Data has always been a part of professional sports turf . For decades grounds people have made notes on paper about their maintenance . As time passed , the paper turned into spreadsheets and has evolved into online pitch management platforms such as GrasPro .
This shift has been down to advancements in pitch technology and the expectations that come with it . Simply put , to get the best out of their investment , pitch managers need to know precisely what is going on with their pitches .
Using a data management system to do this helps collect and track that data and allows for enhanced decision-making and early detection of issues using historical data . As an industry , we are still in the relatively early stages of data platforms , but they have already made an impact ; below , we look at the six vital roles of pitch management systems in the future of turf .
The Advantages of Moving Data Online The main advantage of moving data online is accessibility . It ’ s there whenever you need it , wherever you are . With a system like GrasPro , all of your information is in categories , so it ’ s quick to find exactly what you need . No more rummaging around notebooks or figuring out what ’ s the right spreadsheet .
Once you ’ re set up , you really see the benefit of quickly accessing your categorised data , setting and measuring KPIs , and being able to share information with your grounds team , coaches and facility managers instantly . This benefits everything from sharing notes related to upcoming fixtures and quickly comparing and analysing using graphically presented graphs , charts and tables .
Being the Change Through Data The second vital role of pitch data is decision making and change . Having comprehensive pitch usage and quality data goes a long way to informing the future of your pitches . How many games can they take in one week ? When do they need to be aerated ? How much water do they need ? Etc .
Having this information helps with day to day maintenance , planning and scheduling , but it can also inform major infrastructure decisions when building new facilities , deciding on a new pitch construction or planning a tournament .
Informing decisions is also applicable to consultants who use testing kits and GrasPro to provide informed improvement plans , support grounds team and benchmark pitch progress .