Fueling Football
Americans are stocking up on gameday snacks and planning watch parties for this season’s biggest matchups. This football season, there are sure to be some fiery rivalries, watching your favorite players make impossible passes and sprint down the field with the team operating as a well-oiled machine (at least, you hope). Whether you genuinely love the game or you’re just here for a solid tailgate, one thing is certain: natural gas is fueling gameday.
Safe, affordable and reliable, natural gas keeps energy costs for stadiums manageable while ensuring reliable heating and cooling, even during extreme heat or bitter cold. While not all football stadiums have domes or retractable roofs, the ones that do can make use of natural gas for climate control systems that keep the audience comfortable and the players safe in any weather. This requires substantial energy, and the affordability of natural gas makes commercial heating and cooling more cost effective.
U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) statistics show that heating with natural gas is 3.5 times more affordable than alternatives like electricity. This translates directly to lower operational costs for stadiums. These savings are crucial for keeping ticket prices from soaring even higher.
The second way natural gas contributes to our football enjoyment hides in plain sight – the field itself. Fifteen of the 30 NFL stadiums have turned to artificial turf, and natural gas is a key component in its production. The synthetic fibers used in turf fields are often derived from products of natural gas.
Even if you’re not using astroturf, natural turf fields with thick and healthy grass are made possible by synthetic fertilizer. As a vital feedstock to produce nitrogen, natural gas is a critical component in the fertilizers used today. Additionally, between 70% and 80% of the energy used to produce fertilizers comes from natural gas.
No football experience is complete without good food. If you’re at the game, it’s highly possible that your pizza or your burger will be cooked using natural gas. Ninety-six percent of professional chefs say they prefer cooking with gas to electricity. Natural gas is easily controllable, giving instant and precise temperature control and allowing chefs to put the perfect sear on dishes that require it. It’s also affordable, which makes a major difference whether you’re cooking hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of meals, or just for yourself at home.
If you’re watching from home, we have some great recipes you can make with your natural gas range or oven to make sure you have the perfect watch party. We suggest starting with the homemade popcorn, bringing out the patty melts around halftime, and finishing with the rice crispy treats, but with so many recipes to choose from, you’ll almost certainly find something everyone will enjoy.
Natural gas is a vital player in the world of football, impacting everything from stadium operations to the quality of your game-day meal. As we get ready for our favorite teams to bring home the glory, let’s remember the role of natural gas in making these moments more enjoyable and accessible.