Previous cases Safety Management Case How safety and security can contribute to a good customer experience
Publication: 1st quarter 2016
Stadium Management Case The importance of stadium management: from development to operation
Publication: 2nd quarter 2016
Editorial staff Author
Cyril De Greve ESSMA
E: cyril@essma.eu Layout
Jonas Bogaert ESSMA
E: jonas@essma.eu
Š October 2016, ESSMA All rights reserved
INTRODUCTION ESSMA organises in-depth workshops throughout the
We want to give insights in how Pitch Management
year for each of its expert areas:
should be incorporated from the very beginning, even
• Stadium Management
during the construction process of the stadium, and
• Safety Management
integrated in the overall management of the club. This
• Pitch Management
involvement is needed to meet the expectations, not
• Fan Entertainment
only from players and coaches, but from the industry as well.
Working with a 360° approach, workshops are followed by a dedicated case study which digs deeper
This case study has been developed thanks to the
into covered topics. The following Pitch Management
support of various ESSMA members who were
Case Study has been developed in the aftermath of
willing to share their expertise and experience on
the ESSMA Pitch Management Workshop, which
Pitch Management. We hope you will find this case
took place 30-31 August, 2016, in Paris, France.
study informative and that our conclusions will provide valuable insights to owners, clubs, operators,
Within the ESSMA Pitch Management area of
developers and public authorities concerning stadium
expertise, the content is further divided into three
management.
main components: • Stakeholder management
If you would like to receive further information or
• Extreme weather conditions
discuss the findings of this study, please contact us.
• Player injury management
Contents BACKGROUND P 6 Stakeholder Management P 8
Case: John Ledwidge - Leicester City FC
P 10
Extreme weather conditions P 12
Case: Chris Hague - Brondby IF
P 14
Player Injury Management P 18
Case: Jonathan Calderwood - Paris Saint-Germain
Profile Jonathan Calderwood
P 20
P 21
CONCLUSION P 24
FOLLOW US
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BACKGROUND
The Groundsmanship evolution Within the last decade, the revenues of European
Football Association (The FA) and the English
football clubs have grown significantly. These revenues
Premier League (EPL) have invested around GB£30m
were mainly invested in further development of the
into grassroots football facilities, of which a significant
teams (i.e. new coaches and players). A distortion of
part was invested in new qualitative pitches (Source:
this approach is the actual situation in Chinese football.
Grassroots football facilities get £30m boost during
During the 2015/16 season, Chinese first division
the first half of 2016, IOG, 2016).
teams invested over €400m in new players. However, the pitch of the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, which
At the start of the new EPL season, Manchester United
hosted the friendly game between Manchester United
and City faced each other at Old Trafford, a game with
and Manchester City earlier this summer, didn’t match
a combined market value of more than [GB£ or €] 1
the quality of players on the pitch.
billion. The average EPL team pays around €70m on wages. These astonishing numbers, together with the
Europe, with England as the pioneers, have taken
increased expectations of both the industry, users and
huge steps in regards to pitch quality over the last
spectators, asks for standards both in the development
decade, including recognition of the importance
of Grounds Managers and the quality of the pitches. In
of good Groundsmanship; with Grounds and Pitch
the end, this will turn the pitch into a strong asset of
Managers now seen as valuable assets of the club. As
the club and stadium, allowing for the creation of new
an example, during the first half of 2016, the English
multifunctional opportunities (i.e. increased revenues) and a decrease in costs and injuries.
STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT
John Ledwidge - Groundsmanager @ Leicester City Football Club John Ledwidge started out his career as a 13-year-old volunteer at Coventry City Football Club. His hobby turned into a career when he left for Aston Villa to work under Jonathan Calderwood. At the age of 24, he returned to Coventry City as Head Groundsman of the Ricoh Arena. After 4 years at the helm, experiencing all kind of challenges - from concerts to international and domestic football - he made the move to Leicester City, where he was appointed Head Groundsman in January 2014. At Leicester City he took control of all the pitches and surrounding grounds at both the Training Facility and Stadium. John has recently been promoted to Grounds Manager, leading a team of nine, and managing over 25 acres.
Stakeholder management At the centre of pitch management, we find the
Recognition within the club and the wider stadium
knowledge and expertise of the Grounds Manager.
community is an important key to success, showing
Nowadays, a Grounds Manager needs to be more
appreciation of delivered work. Furthermore, the
than just an agronomist, he also needs to master
transfer of knowledge within the stadium community
managerial, engineering and communication skills.
through
The latter is important as he has to interact with
also contributed to the further development and
various club departments; General, Commercial,
involvement of Grounds Managers in the management
Medical, Media and Sports Management. Notice that,
of clubs.
ESSMA
and
national
associations
has
if the Grounds Manager is not actively involved in the management of the club, a long term vision on pitch management is not possible.
Case: John Ledwidge – Leicester City FC After starting his career as Grounds Manager at
investment of GB£1m. The plan didn’t focus on pitch
Coventry City and spells at Aston Villa and Ricoh
improvement solely, with refinements in staffing levels,
Arena, John arrived at Leicester City’s King Power
organisational structure and an increase in salaries also
Stadium (also known as the Leicester City Stadium
realised.
due to UEFA sponsorship regulations). From the start, a long term pitch improvement plan was defined.
To get the support of the club’s directors, John
The 5-year plan consisted of a GB£3m investment;
developed a comprehensible grading system to
with GB£1.2m being invested during the first year,
facilitate the decision-making process. This system
an additional £800,000 the year after and by the
allows the board/management of the club to get a
third year the project was completed thanks to a final
good overview of the priorities, timings and costs.
Fig. 2 Pitch development grading system Grade A (construction pitch with re-enforcement) Grade B (construction pitch with NO re-enforcement) Grade C (no construction but requires work for improvement) Grade D (Functional but problematic with wet weather) This system gave the board a clear and easy-to-understand overview of the decisions to be made. 10
EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS
Chris Hague - Head Groundsmanager @ Brondby IF Chris Hague has enjoyed 20 years of experience in first-class ground management, producing playing surfaces for Champions League, UEFA Cup Final Copenhagen, Europa League, FA Cup Finals and the Euro 96 Final at Wembley Stadium. Chris has hands-on Grounds Manager experience in major international football tournaments too, including: 1998 France FIFA World Cup, 2002 FIFA World Cup Japan™, 1996 England UEFA Championships and 2010 African Cup of Nations.
Besides grass type, stadium infrastructure (aeration, shade patterns, etc.), venue use and event calendars; the geographic location of the venue/pitch plays a vital role in pitch management.
Case: Chris Hague – Brondby IF Wind, air, light and temperature (WALT factors) all
When grass plants are deficient or have excessive
play major roles in grass development. Successfully
WALT factor levels, this can place stress on the plant
managing these limiting growth factors is key to
and affect the performance and quality of the pitch.
sustaining the grass. Stadiums can limit the grass
Nutritional inputs enable the Grounds Manager to
growth factors due to design and location. When
prepare and recover the grass plants from the stresses
implementing pitch maintenance programs, these
of pitch management events and thus optimise WALT
growth factors together with the daily stresses placed
factors. Due to the demand for improved surfaces,
on the grass plants should be reviewed by the Turf
technology has progressed to provide the Turf
Manager.
Manager with the tools required to provide these factors; water, air, light and temperature can all be
Grounds Managers are in the business of supplemented to manage the grass plants. stress management The Growth Degree Day (GDD), which can be defined Grass plants’ ability to recover from daily stresses can
as the number of degrees above a certain threshold
determine the performance and quality of the pitch.
base temperature, allows gardeners to predict
Plant stresses can be divided into two main categories:
the growth and development of plants. The base temperature is the minimum temperature needed
Abiotic Stress: defined as the negative impact of
for plants to grow. The rate of GDD varies across the
non-living factors on the living organisms in a specific
globe and Europe. GDDs are generally higher in the
environment.
Southern part of Europe, signifying a longer period of growth (figure 1).
Biotic Stress: stress that occurs as a result of damage done to the plants by other living organisms, such
Grass growth is directly affected by temperature.
as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, beneficial and
Throughout the year, variations in temperature will
harmful insects, weeds and cultivated or native plants.
influence the response of the grass plants. In colder climates, the annual amount of GDDs is reduced.
14
Fig. 1 Annual Growing Degree Days
Source: Atlas of the Biosphere, Center of Sustainability and the Global Environment, University of Wisconsin – Madison This has an impact on pitch management and grass
Heating systems, placed undersoil, are required to
recovery. Due to low temperature extremes, leagues
ensure 90 minutes’ play time without the pitch freezing
may have winter breaks as it is not practical to open
during the game. Operational costs and effects on the
the stadiums. GDDs can help the Turf Manager predict
grass should be considered when implementing and
and program the optimum times for maintenance
operating undersoil heating systems, as they can have
operations and so limit the plants’ stress and enable
a drying effect on the rootzone, so moisture levels
recovery.
should be monitored and maintained at all times.
The innovative tools that have been developed in
Pitch covers are used to protect and maintain the grass.
recent years offer the pitch manager the possibility
With the use of forced air and thanks to the cover,
to sustain grass growth throughout the year and in
the pitch temperature can be increased. Pitch covers
all climates. It is possible to supplement all required
can reduce the cost of undersoil heating systems and
grass growth factors:
potentially reduce CO² emission. There are a number of cover options available, providing various levels of
Temperature can be considered to be the “governor”
protection and practicalities including:
of the growth factors. Excesses of either too cold or too warm temperatures can prevent the plant from functioning. Generally, in colder climates a combination of pitch heating and pitch covers are utilised to sustain and protect the pitch.
• Thermal effect: to which extremes can the cover protect surfaces? • Ease of deployment: consider the manpower required and time to install the • Light transmission: will the cover allow
15
light to pass through? Those that can, can be
When managing light and temperature systems, it is
successfully used with grow light rigs to promote
important to monitor the moisture levels of the pitch.
healthy grass growth.
Due to cold temperatures, irrigation systems can be
• Permeability: can air and water pass through the cover? • Cover tensile strength: how durable is the
“winterised” by emptying the system to protect it from frost damage. Portable irrigation systems can also be used.
cover? Can the cover be driven over to remove snow?
Maintenance during the colder months is focused on stress management. Don’t stress the plants too much if
Air levels can be monitored in terms of quality and
the growth factors to recover are not available. When
movement. Covers give the opportunity to blow air
the GGDs are reduced, the recovery of the plants is
across the pitch surface to maintain the grass plants.
also reduced and thorough consideration should be
Soil air systems can also be installed to manage the
given when planning daily maintenance tasks.
air/moisture ratio within the rootzone. Nutritional applications will be determined by the Grow lights can be deployed in combination with pitch
climatic conditions. As always, nutrition should be
covers and/or heating systems to combine temperature
programmed to work with the plant. Due to colder
and light. Lighting rigs can provide the grass plant with
temperatures, the micro bacterial activity in the soil
light energy for photosynthesis. Each day, the grass
will decrease and reduced temperatures will influence
plants require a certain amount of light energy, known
the uptake and utilisation of nutrients. Thus the
as the Daily Light Integral (DLI). Considering the DLI
application of nutrients can help to strengthen the
figures and limiting factors determined by the stadium
plant in preparation for the winter, as this will reduce
design (shade), we can calculate how many light rigs
the risk of diseases and spring can be entered into in
will be required to manage the pitch.
the best possible health.
Other considerations for implementing supplementary light include: • Stadium location and climate • Stadium environment and shade • Goals – what pitch quality is required? • Grass species and DLI
As mentioned previously, the GDDs vary from grass
• Event calendar
type and can be stimulated through heating and
• Budgets
luminotherapy. At Manchester City FC, lighting rigs
• Practicalities – storage – ease of use and
are used to stimulate the growth of the grass plants
deployment 16
and to provide a surface of improved quality and performance.
PLAYER INJURY MANAGEMENT
Jonathan Calderwood - Grounds Manager @ Paris Saint-Germain From a career start at Glentoran Football Club in Belfast (Northern Ireland) to managing the ground at Aston Villa, Jonathan Calderwood is now the Grounds Manager at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Football Club, where he is responsible for the playing surfaces at the Parc des Princes and Camp des Loges (Academy training ground).
In short, the main goals for a pitch manager are:: 1) Ensuring the pitch aesthetics are optimised (this is increasingly important as TV broadcasting is one of the largest revenue streams for clubs) 2) Enabling the players to show off their skills 3) Allowing a multi-use of the pitch 4) Preventing player injuries
Case: Jonathan Calderwood – Paris Saint-Germain Jonathan made no major changes in his approach when
Therefore, he tries to develop close relationships with
he moved from Aston Villa to PSG. He started from
them to get their input on a daily base. However, he
scratch, installing structures, budgets, and insisting on
makes an own assessment to argument and motivate
respecting the pitch and groundsmanship.
his work based on standardised parameters.
From an insurance point of view, a good pitch was one
As part of the globalisation of football, the club is
of the best investments the club could make, as the
organising Summer Tours to promote the PSG brand in
average weekly wage of a first team player at PSG is
the rest of the world. These promotional tours are very
€131,100 (Source: www.totalsportek.com).
beneficial from a revenue point of view, but the impact on player injuries can’t be underestimated. Due to
Apart from the organisational switch, the challenge
training pitches not meeting the standards players are
was to change the culture at PSG. Before Jonathan’s
used to in Paris, the risk for injuries is highly increased.
arrival, the pitch was accessible by everyone; with little
During the 2015 Summer Tour, 6 players from the first
or no regard for the work that had been realised. With
team got injured.
this new approach, communication plays a vital role, with Jonathan in contact with the sports directors and
In the further professionalization and recognition
players on a daily basis.
of groundsmanship at the Parisian club, Jonathan Calderwood was actively involved in the planning of
Pitch assessment
the 2016 Summer tour. As part of this preparation, the Head Grounds Manager went to inspect the training
The first step is the visual assessment of the pitch
pitches in January and returned every 5 weeks to
to make a first audit of its condition. Additionally,
follow-up on improvements to make sure the players
a monthly report is transferred from the pitch
would be able to train in perfect conditions.
management team to the technical staff. This report provides an overview of the situation of the 6 training
This approach doesn’t only allow players to perform in
pitches and the stadium pitch.
the best way or can prevent injuries, but is also a key argument to attract players to the club.
The most important factor in Jonathan Calderwood’s 20
approach is the input from the players.
Profile Jonathan Calderwood Since 2013, Jonathan Calderwood is employed as
Groundsman of Wolverhampton Wanderers and also
Grounds Manager at Paris Saint-Germain Football
became Head Groundsman at Aston Villa in 2002. In
Club. He is responsible for the playing surfaces at the
2006 he became Aston Villa’s Grounds Manager with
Parc des Princes and Camp des Loges, Paris Saint-
the reconstruction of the new Aston Villa training
Germain’s 1st team and Academy training ground. He
ground at Bodymoor Heath and the rebuild of the new
is a member of the ESSMA board since 2011.
pitch at Villa Park.
Jonathan’s
Groundsman
career
started
out
at
During his career, Jonathan Calderwood was rewarded
Glentoran Football club in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
multiple times: 1st Division Groundsman of the year at
He then attended Myrescough College in England
Wolverhampton Wanderers (2006), IOG Groundsman
gaining a Higher National Diploma in Turf science,
of the year (2009), Premiership Groundsman of the
before becoming Deputy Head Groundsman at the
year (2010), IOG Professional Football Groundsman of
old Wembley Stadium.
the Year (2012). In the 14/15 and 15/16 seasons, the PSG pitch was awarded Pitch of the Year in Ligue 1
Jonathan Calderwood worked on behalf of the English
by the LFP. Additionally, in the 2015-2016 season, the
FA at the England training camps during the 1998 World
PSG Academy pitch was awarded Best Pitch Quality
Cup in France and the 2000 European Championships
by UEFA for the UEFA Youth League.
in Belgium. In 2001, Jonathan was active as Head In 2011, Jonathan Calderwood became Chairman of
other people in the industry, to share knowledge and
the Head Grounds Managers group in the European
experiences and to learn and explore new ideas and
Stadium Safety Managers Association and was also
solutions to any problems they may be facing.
elected as an ESSMA board member.
“
ESSMA gives the Head Grounds
Today more than ever, the pressure on the Head Grounds Manager is increasing year by year. The increased expectations on pitch quality, player injuries, style of play of the team, complex stadium environments and increased revenues with extra events asks more from the Head Grounds Manager than just managing the pitch. It is about communicating with all stakeholders and to be recognised by the club. To be a member of ESSMA is a fantastic opportunity for the Head Grounds Manager to network with
Manager a platform to be more
recognised within the sports industry and to raise the profile of what we do”
In order to get recognised, it is important that people are aware about what they do and understand their job and the necessity to work alongside the Stadium and Safety managers in the successful running of a stadium. ESSMA gives the Head Grounds Manager the perfect platform to do so.
21
Desso GrassMaster
Tarkett Sports’ Desso GrassMaster is the pioneer
reinforcement and a unique subbase composition and
hybrid grass system since 1989. The technology has
construction offers an unrivaled drainage capacity and
a proven track record used in 640 pitches installed
a healthy rootzone. Desso GrassMaster is the only
at the worlds biggest football; rugby and american
hybrid system on the market with a proven lifespan of
football stadiums and training centers, European
+15years.
and World Cup Football events and Olympic Games.
“
The unique injection of 20 milion Polypropelyne (PP) synthetic fibers ensures a stable and perfectly playable pitch throughout the whole season ; regardless of weather conditions ; number of fixtures or non-sports events. The combination of the PP synthetic fiber
The unique injection of 20 milion Polypropelyne (PP) synthetic
fibers ensure a stable and perfectly playable pitch throughout the whole season”
SGL
SGL offers a complete pitch management system, for natural grass to grow in any stadium under any possible condition and playing schedule, whereby the natural grass experience for professional sports is preserved and pitch usage can be increased. Revolutionary technology and a unique approach and commitment ensure that the promised quality is always delivered. The SGL system has already been implemented by many of the highest rated sports clubs and stadiums worldwide. 22
“
Revolutionary technology and a unique approach and commitment
ensure that the promised quality is always delivered”
Terraplas
Terraplas Turf Protection systems were first introduced
Wembley work exclusively with Terraplas for their
at the “old Wembley Stadium” some 26 years ago,
pitch protection and whilst they now have the very
which was then, and still is today, one of the busiest
latest, their original system is still in use today.
multi-purpose Stadiums in the world. Consequently, they require a pitch protection system that enables
The combination of a Desso Grassmaster pitch,
them to have a concert for 80,000 people on a Saturday
Terraplas and SGL grow lights, together with
and host an international football match the following
professional turf management, facilitates the best
Wednesday.
overall conditions for making the maximum use of a
“
Have a concert for 80,000
facility, whilst maintaining the quality of the playing surface.
people on a Saturday and host
an international football match the following Wednesday”
Campey Imants
This year Campey Turf Care Systems celebrates its
Turf Tenders, Raycam Unirake, brushes and harrows
30th anniversary and its success can be attributed to
and aeration and surface maintenance machinery
many different factors, not least the quality of products
from Imants, such as the ShockWave, RotoKnife,
and the dedication of the Campey team to introducing
Rootpruner and Sandcat turf slitter. Complimenting
methods of best practice to the groundscare industry.
these products are other specialised equipment such seeders from Vredo and the award winning Air2G2
As one of the largest independent sports turf machinery
from GT Air Injection.
suppliers across Europe, Asia, South Africa and the New World, Campeys provide specialist equipment
One of the most recognised innovations for turf
for turf professionals from a stable of manufactures
renovation is the KORO® FIELDTOPMAKER®.
renowned for quality products. These include Dakota
When it first came on the scene this machine was
23
a radical new approach to removing unwanted surface
Universe® and Terraplane® Rotors and has which have
matter such as poa annua, thatch, weeds or even the
transformed the maintenance regimes of groundsmen
entire surface of natural sports turf playing surfaces
across the spectrum of turf related sports.
like football and rugby pitches, cricket squares and outfields golf fairways and turf farms, known as fraise mowing. The success of the KORO® FTM® and its evolution is undoubtedly the result of the dedication which
“
One of the most recognised innovations for turf renovation is
the KORO® FIELDTOPMAKER®”
drives both Imants BV and Campey Turf Care systems to develop ever more efficient ways to deliver the best in natural turf surfaces as demonstrated with the
STRI
STRI produce world-class surfaces where athletes of
countries and managed event surfaces at the highest
all abilities can perform to their very best. We enhance
possible standard.
venues,
tournaments
and
events,
encouraging
sustainability and developing future-proof design
We are FIFA’s appointed pitch consultants to all major
through our unparalleled sport sector knowledge.
tournaments, and with offices in UK, Australia, Qatar, China and the US are well placed to support clients
Our staff of over 100 technical experts have incomparable
experience
providing
quality
and
cost effective solutions for the design, construction and management of stadium and training venue surfaces. We have directed the construction of over 180 exceptional quality stadium pitches in over 40
24
and projects around the world.
“
We have directed the construction of over 180 exceptional quality
stadium pitches in over 40 countries”
CONCLUSION
This case study aimed to deliver in-depth insights
Pitch Management Workshop in Paris, 30-31 August
into groundsmanship. We focused on 3 specific topics
2016. Pitch Management is one of ESSMA’s areas of
that affect and influence the daily work. Stakeholder
expertise. ESSMA provides dedicated:
management, extreme weather conditions and player injury management are all pieces of the puzzle towards
• Content: case studies and in-depth articles
qualitative pitches that create a return for players,
• Events: stadium tours and the ESSMA Summit.
clubs and spectators. We underlined the importance
• Expertise: key industry experts, ESSMA advisory
of communication, as every stakeholder needs to
committee members, strategic partners and
move into the right direction and strive for optimal
stadium partners
quality. We are convinced that top playing surfaces can only be produced when the Grounds Manager is actively involved in the club’s management. The pitch needs to become more important in order to create a real return on investment. The integration of the Grounds Manager in the overall management of the club will boost this cultural change. This case study was conducted in the aftermath of the
CONTRIBUTORS