With the NFL season now over, teams are preparing to use their stadiums for concerts, events, and festivals. During the offseason teams likely aren’t concerned with the the quality of their grass because it is constantly being covered with tarps and having stages being built on top of it. Although the grass may not be a concern for them at the moment, groundskeepers have found a new way to help expedite the process of getting the field in prime shape for when the season rolls around.
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With the help from the award-winning Sidekick, a recently created turf machine that was used to prepare the field for Super Bowl 50, groundskeepers are now able to cut the time that it took them to prepare a field in half. Sidekick allows them to install sod without decreasing the density or damaging the condition of the grass. The Sidekick is attached to a tractor and it pushes the sod firmly into place without touching the top of the grass.
The Sidekick was created by Paul Carlson, a Chicago native who has been in the sod industry for years. Carlson realized that his machine could be effective after seeing just how quickly and efficiently it could help groundskeepers install sod onto the field. He wanted to create a machine that would push the sod from the side to prevent any damage while still being able to get things done in a timely manner. In 2011, he did just that. Carlson created the Sidekick which was first used in October 2011 to install the sod on Soldier Field in Chicago. In 2013, Sidekick won the STMA Innovative Award for Safety.
Using the Sidekick makes the job easier for everyone involved in the turf installation process. Fields are usually swapped about five times per year and would normally take about four days without the help from Sidekick. With Sidekick, groundskeepers are now able to install brand new sod on an entire field within just a day and half. The machine not only cuts the time in half, but it also requires less people to successfully install a fresh layer of sod. Sidekick also helps maintain the density in the sod which provides safer field conditions to all athletes. The machine is able to maintain the density of the sod because it is gently being pushed into place, rather than being dragged around by a team of people who are trying to get the job done.
The Sidekick has quickly spread throughout the NFL and is making it’s way into MLB stadiums as well as golf courses. “You can attribute the rapid growth of Sidekick to the performance of our machine,” said Carlson. “Our machine is unlike any other because it allows the sod to be installed quickly and efficiently while still maintaining the highest quality.”
With Major League Baseball season right around the corner, Carlson should have his hands full with Sidekick as teams will be looking to make sure their fields are at the highest quality for opening day.