Super Bowl XLIX will be taking place on a special field of grass.
The field at University of Phoenix Stadium features retractable turf. The surface usually lives outside the stadium, where it can be maintained in the hot Arizona sun.
Before game time, the 19 million pounds of turf is moved, inch by inch, inside the stadium. It’s then under the close watch of groundskeepers, who make sure everything is maintained properly both for the game and Katy Perry’s halftime performance. Field crews are so meticulous, they actually brush each blade of grass individually.
“They want a perfect show, we want a perfect field. So all of that has to be juggled and put together,” said Ed Mangan, the NFL’s field director.