The Toronto Blue Jays might soon say goodbye to Rogers Centre’s artificial surface.
Blue Jays president Paul Beeston said Wednesday at a State of the Franchise event that the team hopes to replace the stadium’s artificial surface with natural grass by 2018.
The Blue Jays moved into Rogers Centre — then known as the SkyDome — in June 1989, and since have played on AstroTurf, FieldTurf and Grass3D amid the evolution of artificial surfaces.
It was announced back in September that the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League would not have their lease at Rogers Centre renewed beyond the 2017 season, hence Beeston’s four-year plan for natural grass. Perhaps the Blue Jays will play on natural grass sooner if the Argonauts exit Rogers Centre before their lease ends.
Toronto doesn’t exactly have the perfect baseball climate, but a switch to natural grass shouldn’t be much of a problem. Rogers Centre has a retractable roof that should allow for the necessary sunlight, and surely, the Jays will look into such things before making dramatic changes.
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Photo via Wikipedia/Rogers Centre
