Capturing hockey’s unique story

At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the first tournament on turf, hockey began its transformation. To totally change the playing surface was a unique journey for any sport to take and over the next 40+ years the impact on hockey was profound.

‘The Surface’ captures hockey’s unique transformation from grass to a fluid, non-stop, multi-dimensional game, as seen by leading hockey players, coaches and administrators.

The transformation occurred in stages, starting slowly and then rapidly accelerating.

A grass game on turf

At 10am on 18th July, 1976 the whistle blew in the opening match of the Montreal Olympics between India against Argentina. This whistle rang out around the hockey world. It was Turf Day 1.

However, for first 20 years the number of turfs were limited. The 1982 Men’s World Cup was the last major event on grass, and around the world hockey stayed a grass game.

The turf natives

It took 25 years for the turf natives to arrive, but when they did it was an explosion of skills and speeds.

This step-change happened around 2000. Gen-Turf were no longer grass players, this generation had played 10 years or more on turfs (better quality turfs) and were developing new and creative turf skills.

Players such as Jamie Dwyer, Luciana Aymar and Teun de Nooijer revolutionized the game. New rules and composite sticks turbocharged this generation.

Colour & Noise

Hockey took another leap with blue turf at the London Olympics.

Hockey turfs were constantly improving and Gen-Turf had made the game lightning fast, non-stop and brilliantly skillful. And it was about to take center stage at London 2012. It was time to step out of the shadows, change perceptions, and proudly show hockey’s transformation to sports fans around the world.

The blue turf captured and embodied hockey's confidence at the way the game had developed. Hockey wanted to be seen and heard, and 600,000 fans watched hockey at London 2012.

This was the catalyst for the very popular hockey World Cups that followed in Holland, London and India, and the FIH Pro League, which put hockey on television around the world for the first time.

Hockey’s new frontiers

The next stage has seen the game exploring the potential of turf beyond the playing lines as the game seeks new experiences and opportunities for players, fans and broadcasters, and commits itself to the environmental challenge ahead.

New temporary turf technology for games in rugby stadiums or Hockey 5s in downtown locations are setting hockey free. New turfs with better shockpads are leading to a huge increase in master’s hockey - in an ageing society this longevity is very valuable.

Environmentally hockey is embracing new technologies such as turfs made from sugar cane that reduce the CO2 footprint of turfs.

Hockey’s journey since 1976 is remarkable and has featured many exceptional hockey people. ‘The Surface’ will tell the game’’s and their stories.