Several sports fields across Seattle are closed and in need of repairs after a sustained bout of freezing temperatures has caused damage to the synthetic turf. Seattle Parks says at least nine of the fields at its facilities have been reported damaged and the Seattle Public Schools system has closed all of its turf fields to “assess the severity and scope of the damage on their fields.”

“Unfortunately, this weekend with the extreme freezing weather, a number of SPR (Seattle Parks) and SPS (Seattle Public Schools) synthetic turf fields experienced buckling and damage underneath the turf, resulting in lumps, divots and craters in areas of the field that make them unplayable,” the statement from the city parks department read.

The closures are already causing havoc for youth sports practices and the many adult leagues who put the fields to heavy use around the city.

Read the full post on Capitol Hill Seattle Blog.

Mary Whitfill Roeloffs
Forbes Staff

Updated Jan 2, 2024, 08:47am EST​

The Miami Dolphins suffered another major loss with the ACL tear of pass-rusher Bradley Chubb in a game against the Baltimore Ravens on New Year's Eve, adding Chubb to a long list of others who’ve suffered destructive lower-body injuries this season amid debate over the safety of playing on grass versus turf.

Of this year's 24 major leg injuries so far, 13 have occurred on a turf or partially turf field. Injuries have most commonly happened this season on M&T Bank Stadium's grass field, U.S. Bank Stadium's turf and at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, which uses turf for NFL games. Rodgers and Tannehill were hurt on turf, Nick Chubb and Diggs were injured on grass. Lambeau Field in Green Bay, where Cousins was injured, has a hybrid turf mix of synthetic and natural grass.