Do not be alarmed by the strange glow coming from inside Empower Field.
It’s the next evolution of Denver Broncos turf science on the home stretch of this NFL season: LED grow lights.
At quick glance, from a distance, you might confuse them with spaceships landed at Mile High.
“They’re able to make a certain color. They are 95% red, 5% blue, and the grass uses those colors to grow roots a little more,” said Chris Hathaway, Broncos director of turf and grounds, in a recent interview with The Denver Gazette. “They’re kind of like their own trailer and then they unfold.”
The LED grow lights (purchased from Netherlands-based SGL Systems) are long-connected white panels that are wheeled onto the grass. They ran consecutively for about 13 hours over two- or three-day periods leading up to the Broncos-Falcons game Sunday, helping preserve green grass after historic November snowfall in the Denver metro area.
“The first thing I do when I go out for pregame warmup is walk around the field and see where it’s at,” right guard Quinn Meinerz told The Denver Gazette. “It’s super important and crucial.”
The Broncos acquired two new grow light systems — the LED440 model — which “allows the grounds manager to control light and heat radiation independently” while covering 440 square meters of playing surface at once, according to SGL Systems. It’s one more piece of the Walton-Penner ownership group’s ongoing effort to provide the best possible Kentucky Bluegrass on Broncos game days.
They’ve already replaced the sod twice dating back to last summer — first, in June, before a Mexico-Uruguay international friendly soccer match at Empower Field; again in late October, when the Broncos left town for a two-game road swing after a Week 8 game against the Panthers. The Broncos also replaced the artificial turf for their indoor practice facility this season.
“Our field has been in good shape,” coach Sean Payton said. “The one thing I do know is if Greg (Penner) feels like it’s not to his liking, then he’s not afraid to (replace) it.”
LED grow lights are the next step in preserving that turf. They initially became popular in Europe, Hathaway said, with the technology spreading to North American professional sports teams over the last five to 10 years. The Broncos invested this season due to their massive Mile High upgrade — a 225-foot wide and 72-foot high video board constructed in 2023.
“The reason we turned to growth lights at first is just the shade in the south from the scoreboard. Even before we went to this newer one, we had some shade issues,” Hathaway said. “You need the sunlight to feed the grass. If you don’t have adequate sunlight, your growth is going to be diminished. … We noticed issues probably five to eight years ago.”
Brothers Jonah and Kaden Elliss battle for ‘bragging rights’ as Broncos face Falcons
Fans can expect green grass on Sunday afternoon against the Falcons. But the LED grow lights are about more than simply aesthetics. Player safety is also considered.
Public discourse surrounding NFL field conditions has amplified over recent years.
The 49ers, in preparation for Super Bowl LVIII, were reportedly displeased with their practice space at UNLV, a sod field placed on top of artificial turf to meet NFL standards. Field conditions were controversial previously in Super Bowl LVII, too, with Eagles and Chiefs players slipping throughout the game at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. There is an ongoing debate between the NFLPA and the league over the safety of artificial turf vs. natural grass.
“When you play on a field with divots, muddy spots, or dead grass, you’re like: ‘I hope I don’t have to pass right there,'” Meinerz said. “It’s player safety having quality football fields and grass. It looks good on TV. It’s really nice.”
LED grow lights alone won’t keep players healthy or the grass green. The Broncos also utilize irrigation, growth tarps, heated soil and other efforts to maintain their playing surface. But it is one additional step toward achieving as close to field perfection as possible.
“I explain it as a tool in our toolbox. This isn’t going to save a field just by itself,” Hathaway said. “It’s just one of my tools in my bag to get the playing surface to the safest it could be for our players and visiting players as well. … There are a couple of key players that we really look for feedback from. But really, I think if something was wrong, they’d let us know. Hopefully, we don’t hear from them.
“But we definitely take that feedback because a lot of players are just different.”
A modest and dedicated staff works almost around the clock to maintain the Broncos’ game day turf. Hathaway is among five people working at Empower Field throughout any given game week. The LED grow lights will continue to run — mostly overnight — to help set the stage for Broncos game day.
“I was never a good-enough athlete to be a player on one of these surfaces. So, being able to be at this level and do my part into hopefully a Broncos victory on Sundays is a big passion of mine,” Hathaway said. “I know that kind of filters down to my team as well, especially on game days. That’s kind of the culmination of all our hard work. Starting on Monday of most game weeks, we’re putting in a lot of hours just in the prep. … There are a lot of long days and long weeks. We just got out (of) three games in four weeks, and then a re-sod. So, October was a really big grind for us.
“But I think that passion for what we do and keeping players safe makes it a little easier.”
This post was originally published on here
