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Artificial pitch unlikely to be placed this season

24 July: It seems like Ajax will have to postpone its plans to replace the ArenA pitch by an artificial one during the winter break of this season.

Both UEFA and KNVB were willing to allow Ajax and the Amsterdam ArenA to place artificial grass halfway the upcoming season, but all Eredivisie teams would have to agree. It has now become obvious that most clubs have objections.

Ironically, Ajax rivals Feyenoord and PSV were the first clubs to officially file a protest. The Rotterdam side considers it "unfair", because other teams will be disadvantaged when playing Ajax on a perfect, artificial pitch: Ajax will get used to it rapidly, whereas it'll be the first time to play on artificial grass for every other team due at the ArenA.

Dutch weekly magazine, Nieuwe Revu, then decided to conduct a survey amongst all Eredivisie clubs. Roda JC turned out to be the only one with no objections, whereas PSV, Feyenoord, FC Twente, NEC, NAC, Willem II, AZ, FC Den Bosch and Fortuna Sittard all announced that they were going to file an official protest against the Amsterdam plans. In that case, the KNVB will not grant Ajax permission to place the artificial pitch this season.

On AT5 television, Franklin Versteeg, researching professional sports on artificial grass for the Institute of Sports Accomodations (ISA), advised Ajax to postpone its plans for at least one year: "Before placing an artificial pitch, all other teams deserve a chance to practice on it."

Ajax wants to start playing on artificial grass, because the club has already spent some ten million guilders ($4 million) in five years time, on 25 new pitches. Apparently, real grass does not survive in the ArenA. An artificial pitch costs about $600,000 and needs replacement every seven years. (MP)