A Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) is a sports area which allows a wide variety of sports to be played on it. Technically speaking, any sports area that can be used all year round for at least two of the following sports: tennis, netball, basketball, and five-a-side football, can be called a Multi-Use Games Area.
Schools and local sports governing bodies advocate the use of MUGAs. The reason for this is simple: maintaining separate grass sports pitches for different sports is a costly affair. Besides, there are plenty of choices available in artificial sports surfaces for MUGAs, each having different playing characteristics. A popular type of sports surface for a Multi Use Games Area is synthetic turf. This is made of synthetic fibres which are usually sand filled or sand dressed with a shock pad laid beneath the turf for shock absorbency. These surfaces are suitable for playing a wide variety of sports, including hockey, five-a-side football, lacrosse, and many more. These surfaces are also ideal as synthetic athletics surfaces or for general training sessions.
A synthetic games area offers the same playing characteristics as that of a natural grass sports field. However, unlike the latter, they can be used all round the year. The reason is simple: they remain unaffected by different kinds of weather conditions. The sub-base of an artificial grass pitch is made up of an impermeable material. The impermeable material together with a drainage system ensures that the pitch is always ready for the play. In addition to features offering increased playability, a synthetic games area also offers safety features for players by incorporating a shock pad in its construction. This is an elastic layer that is laid over the foundation at a depth of approximately 10 cm. This elastic layer is made from bonded rubber and being just underneath the surface of the pitch, it layer provides the necessary shock absorption. These are some of the reasons why synthetic games areas have replaced natural grass sports pitches at many sports facilities.
Athletic events are also increasingly played on artificial surfaces owing to their tolerance to intensive use. Synthetic athletic surfaces can be made of liquid polyurethane and rubber crumb. This non-porous surface is the most expensive amongst all types of athletic surface. If you are looking for a cost-effective solution, you can opt for porous surfaces.
