AstroTurf has been announced as the official United Soccer League (USL) synthetic turf supplier of the USL.

The American brand is synonymous with synthetic turf as its predecessor, ChemGrass, was the first ever synthetic turf to be introduced when the Houston Astrodome replaced its infield in 1966 with ChemGrass. Once the product had proven its worth and had been patented, ChemGrass was rebranded AstroTurf.

According to the statement issued by USL, AstroTurf is guided by the philosophy of more fiber, less fill, an indication that USL is considering moving to non-filled surfaces.

“We are thrilled to partner with a brand with such a rich history as AstroTurf,” said Sr. Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, Josh Keller. “The field is such an integral component to a USL team’s gameday operations, and with AstroTurf’s advancements in product design, USL venues will be able to combine a world-class playing surface with the flexibility that a synthetic product provides, allowing them to accommodate events far beyond just professional soccer matches.”

“We are proud to partner with the USL, a league committed to providing the highest quality across all platforms,” said Carl Capellas, AstroTurf’s director of soccer sales. “The vision and leadership matches our ambition of raising the standard of synthetic turf for soccer in America.  As the game improves and we bring more professional soccer across the country, the standard of fields should match that professionalism.”