A League of Your Own: Create Your Own Backyard Sports Stadium
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the sports world to a halt. Professional leagues have suspended operations or cancelled seasons entirely. Even athletic centers and gyms have been shuttered, making it more difficult for individuals to participate in organized athletics. But you can always create your own backyard sports stadium.
It is a bleak time for sports fans, but the unprecedented situation has opened a door for homeowners to bring the wide world of sports to their own back yards. With a little elbow grease and a great imagination, your property could be updated to host a variety of scaled down, yet still impressive, sports games and contests. While we do not expect the simple game of catch or driveway hoops to go away, features like miniature sports fields and stadium seating are taking backyard games to a whole new level. If you are among those homeowners having trouble getting his or her sports fix, here are some winning ideas for your yard.
Level the Field
Once you have decided the primary use for your playing area (i.e. football field versus soccer pitch), you need to measure and stake off the area that is to be leveled. Obviously, very few lawns can accommodate a professional-sized field, so decide what scale works best. For backyard football fields, 1/3 scale (120’ x 53’) and 1/6 scale (60’ x 27’) are popular sizes. The leveling process, which involves removing topsoil, flattening the ground, and reseeding, takes a while, so do not rush the process. Some homeowners opt for installing artificial turf, which usually costs between $5 and $20 per square foot, rather than reseeding the lawn. This not only creates a more professional appearance and playing surface, but also eliminates the need for repainting lines after every mowing.
Take a Seat at Our Backyard Sports Stadium
Once the playing field is determined, you will need to find a space for seating. After all, it is important to have an audience to witness all the great plays that will be made on your backyard field. Tiered stadium seating provides an exceptional viewing experience, but bleachers are a perfectly acceptable alternative for those looking to cut costs. And if space is an issue, collapsible bleachers may be especially desired.
Intermission Treats
Whether you are watching the game or just taking a break from the action, you need to have your munchies. So, dress up your deck as a concession stand and appoint someone to man the grill to make the all-important game grub. But why stop at hamburgers and hot dogs when you could go gourmet? Having a backyard athletic field is the perfect excuse for going all out with an outdoor kitchen and bar. Intermissions and post-game celebrations will never be the same now that pizza, calzones, smoked meat, and grilled seafood are on the menu, as well as a wide variety of adult beverages.
Gear up for the Score
Your backyard sports field is almost complete, but now you need the finishing touches. This includes pylons to mark the boundaries of the field, a striping machine to line the field, and of course a digital scoreboard. But do not forget to dress up the end zone with a goal post, or a pair of soccer nets if you’ll be playing the other football. All of these items are easily found online, and often at reasonable prices.
You will have the most popular property in the neighborhood with your own backyard sports stadium center. Order some trophies and make have a mini neighborhood Super Bowl. But to go for the big score, you need a deck and outdoor kitchen from Excel Fencing & Decking. We can design it to fit any yard, leaving plenty of space for the big game!