George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees, has been awarded the "2024 Florida Celebration® Sports Field of the Year." This award is given annually to maintenance professionals who excel in managing Celebration Bermudagrass on golf courses and sports fields.
Sod Solutions presented Ritchie Anderson, Director of Grounds, and his crew with the award at the 2024 Florida Turfgrass Association Conference in December.
George M. Steinbrenner Field was built in 1996 and underwent renovation in 1999. By 2010, Anderson took on the renovations himself, choosing Celebration Bermudagrass after seeing its success at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' facilities. It has been in use ever since.
“It grows fast, so you've got to be able to control it. I can speed it up or I can slow it down. Celebration's got deep roots. It roots well. It's really a good grass once I've learned to perfect my craft at it,” Anderson said.
Anderson oversees the field for Major League Spring Training and 75 home games during the Tampa Tarpons’ Low-A Rookie Ball season. The field also hosts various events, and Anderson ensures it’s always prepared for every occasion.
In 2023, the field underwent a full renovation, including new drainage, new irrigation and moving 6,000 tons of sand. Celebration Bermudagrass was selected again for its resilience and performance. The turfgrass was contract-grown by Superior Turf, with Sod Solutions Professionals managing the project.
Anderson’s career at George M. Steinbrenner Field began in 1997 as a mechanic. Since mechanic work wasn’t always available, he transitioned to groundskeeping, mowing and raking, until he became the director of grounds.
“Celebration will slow down when it gets cold, so the mowing stops when the temperature changes. It's got great dark green color and it recovers well up and down the sidelines where we have a lot of stress.”
Anderson and his crew manage all aspects of the field in-house, from laser grading to top dressing, addressing issues immediately. He explained spectators often praise the grass’s appearance, asking how he stripes it or why it’s so green. “We get a lot of good praise on keeping it in tip-top shape and people seem to like it. They love the Yankees, so I'm proud of what I do. It pays off at the end of the day when we come out here and look at this green heaven, and everything's good. We love our job,” Anderson added.
Previous winners of this award include Florida Atlantic Softball Stadium, The Country Club of Naples, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, The Club Pelican Bay in Naples, Admiral’s Cove in Jupiter, Orlando FC’s Exploria Stadium, North Palm Beach Country Club, Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club and Country Club of Florida.
Go behind the scenes with Richie Anderson and the dedicated grounds crew at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
View more photos of George M. Steinbrenner Field
Learn more about Celebration Bermudagrass and its impact on sports fields
