Pitch (sports field)

A pitch or a sports ground is an outdoor playing area for various sports. The term pitch is most commonly used in British English, while the comparable term in Australian, American and Canadian English is playing field or sports field.

Comparison of the playing area for various sports to scale

Size comparison of various football codes playing fields

For most sports the official term is field of play, although this is not regularly used by those outside refereeing/umpiring circles.^{[citation needed]} The field of play generally includes out-of-bounds areas that a player is likely to enter while playing a match, such as the area beyond the touchlines in association football and rugby or the sidelines in American and Canadian football, or the "foul territory" in baseball.

The surface of a pitch is most commonly composed of sod (grass), but may also be artificial turf, sand, clay, gravel, concrete, or other materials. A playing field on ice may be referred to as a rink, for example an ice hockey rink, although rink may also refer to the entire building or, in the sport of curling, to either the building or a particular team.

In the sport of cricket, the cricket pitch refers not to the entire field of play, but to the section of the field on which batting and bowling take place in the centre of the field. The pitch is prepared differently from the rest of the field, to provide a harder surface for bowling.

A pitch is often a regulation space, as in an association football pitch.

The term level playing field is also used metaphorically to mean fairness in non-sporting human activities such as business where there are notional winners and losers.^[1]

Fields of play in various sports

Pitches

• 
  American football field
• 
  Association football pitch,
  surrounded by running track
• 
  Australian rules football playing field
• 
  Gaelic, hurling, and camogie pitch
• 
  Rugby league playing field
• 
  Rugby union pitch
• 
  Baseball field
• 
  Cricket field (with the cricket pitch in the centre)
• 
  Bandy field
• 
  Field hockey pitch
• 
  Ice hockey rink
• 
  Basketball court
• 
  olympic swimming pool
• 
  Speed skating rink
• 
  Tennis court
• 
  Velodrome (track cycling)

Field sizes

Sport	Regulated by	Shape	Field length	Total length	Width	Total width	Depth/height	Surface	Diagram
Basque pelota (Jai-Alai)	FIPV	Rectangular cuboid	54 meters	-	10 meters	-	10 meters
Bowling	IBF	Rectangular	754.1875 inches (19.15636 m)		41–42 inches (1.0–1.1 m)			wood or synthetic material
Dodgeball	WDA	Rectangular	17 meters	-	8 meters	-	-
Goalball	IBSA	Rectangular	18 meters	-	9 meters	-		wood, plastic or synthetic
Korfball	IKF	Rectangular	40 meters	-	20 meters	-
Netball	World Netball	Rectangular	100 feet (30 m)	-	50 feet (15 m)	-		wood
Sepak takraw	ISTAF	Rectangular	44 feet (13 m)	-	20 feet (6.1 m)	-
Aquatics
Swimming (Olympic)	World Aquatics	Rectangular cuboid	50 meters	-	25 meters	-	2-3 meters
Swimming (short course)		Rectangular cuboid	25 meters	-	20 meters	-	2-2.5 meters
Waterpolo		Rectangular cuboid	25 meters	-	20 meters	-	1.8 meters
Basketball
Basketball	FIBA	Rectangular	28 meters	-	15 meters	-
Basketball (3x3)		Rectangular	11 meters	-	15 meters	-
Basketball	NBA	Rectangular	94 feet (29 m)	-	50 feet (15 m)	-
Bat and ball sports
Baseball	MLB	Diamond	250–400 feet (76–122 m)[2] (distance from home plate to nearest center field fence)	-	446.9–492.9 feet (136.2–150.2 m)[3]	-		grass
Baseball	WBSC	Diamond	275–400 feet (84–122 m) (distance from home plate to nearest center field fence)	-	Distance between foul poles	-
Baseball5		Square	21 meters	-	21 meters	-
Softball[4]		Circle quadrant	220–250 feet (67–76 m) (radius)	-	220–250 feet (67–76 m) (radius)	-
Cricket	ICC	Oval	130–180 yards (120–160 m)	-	130–180 yards (120–160 m)	-	-
Indoor cricket	WICF	Rectangular	30 meters	-	12 meters	-	-
Pesapallo		Irregular hexagon	315 feet (96 m)	-	138 feet (42 m)	-	-
Boules
Boccia	BISFed	Rectangular	12.5 meters	-	6 meters	-	-	polished concrete, wooden, natural or synthetic rubber.
Bocce volo	WPBF	Rectangular	27.5 meters	-	2.5-4 meters	-
Petanque		Rectangular	15 meters	-	4 meters	-
Raffa		Rectangular	6.5 meters	-	4-4.5 meters	-		natural ground or synthetic material
Combat sports
Amateur wrestling	UWW	Circle	9 meters	-	9 meters	-	-
Fencing	FIE	Rectangular	14 meters	17–18 meters	1.5 meters	-	-
Kickboxing (ring)	WAKO	Rectangular cuboid	5.2 meters	-	5.2 meters	-	1.32 meters	felt, rubber
Mixed Martial Arts	UFC[5]	Octagon	30 feet (9.1 m)	-	30 feet (9.1 m)	-	69 inches (1.8 m)
Taekwondo	WT	Octagon	8 meters	-	8 meters	-	-
Cycling
Cycle ball (international)	UCI	Rectangular	14 meters	-	11 meters	-	-	wood, parquet, chipboard, triplex, synthetic
Football codes
Association football (international)	FIFA	Rectangular	110–120 yards (100–110 m)	-	70–80 yards (64–73 m)	-		grass, artificial
Beach soccer		Rectangular	35–37 meters	-	26–28 meters	-		sand
Futsal (international)		Rectangular	38-42 meters	-	20-25 meters	-		wood, artificial
American football	IFAF	Rectangular	100 yards (91 m)	120 yards (110 m)	160 feet (49 m)	-		grass, artificial
Flag football[6] (standard)		Rectangular	50 yards (46 m)	70 yards (64 m)	25 yards (23 m)	-	-	solid, sand
Indoor American football		Rounded rectangular	50 yards (46 m)	66 yards (60 m)	28 yards (26 m)	-		artificial
Canadian football	Football Canada	Rectangular	110 yards (100 m)	150 yards (140 m)	65 yards (59 m)	-		grass, artificial
Rugby union	World Rugby	Rectangular	94-100 meters	106-144 meters	68-70 meters	-		grass, sand, clay, snow, artificial
Rugby league	IRL	Rectangular	100 meters	112-122 meters	68 meters	-		grass
Australian rules football (professional)	AFL Commission	Oval	135-185 meters	-	110-155 meters	-		grass
Gaelic football	GAA	Rectangular	130–145 meters	-	80–90 meters	-		grass
Handball
Handball	IHF	Rectangular	40 meters	-	20 meters	-
Beach handball		Rectangular	27 meters	-	12 meters	-		sand
Hockey
Bandy	FIB	Rectangular	100-110 meters	-	60-65 meters	-		ice
Field hockey	FIH	Rectangular	100 yards (91 m)	-	60 yards (55 m)	-
Indoor hockey		Rectangular	36-44 meters	-	18-22 meters	-
Ice hockey	IIHF	Rounded rectangular	61 meters	-	30 meters	-		ice
Ice hockey	NHL	Rounded rectangular	200 feet (61 m)	-	85 feet (26 m)	-		ice
Inline hockey	World Skate	Rounded rectangular	131–197 feet (40–60 m)	-	66–98 feet (20–30 m)	-		sport tile, wood, asphalt or cement
Rink hockey			34-44 meters	-	17-22 meters	-		wood, cement
Underwater hockey	CMAS	Rectangular cuboid	21-25 meters	-	12-15 meters	-	2-3.65 meters
Ice speed skating
Short track speed skating	ISU	Stadium[7]	60 meters	-	30 meters	-	-	ice
Long track speed skating		Stadium	178 meters	-	66 meters	-	-	ice
Kabbaddi
Kabaddi (standard)[8]		Rectangular	13 meters	-	10 meters	-	-
Kabaddi (circle-style)[9]		Circle	44 meters	-	44 meters	-	-
Kho kho
Kho kho		Rectangular	27 meters	30 meters	16 meters	19 meters	-
Kho kho (Ultimate Kho Kho)[10]		Rectangular	22 meters	26 meters	16 meters	20 meters	-
Lacrosse
Field lacrosse (men)	World Lacrosse	Rectangular	110 meters	-	60 meters	-
Women lacrosse		Rectangular	100 meters	-	50-60 meters	-
Box lacrosse		Rounded rectangular	55-61 meters	-	24-28 meters	-		artificial turf, concrete
Lacrosse sixes		Rectangular	70 meters	-	36 meters	-
Polo
Polo	FIP	Rectangular	250–300 yards (230–270 m)	-	160–200 yards (150–180 m)	-		grass
Snow polo		Rectangular	170 yards (160 m)	-	80 yards (73 m)	-		snow
Racquet sports
Badminton (singles)	BWF	Rectangular	44 feet (13 m)	17.4 meters	17 feet (5.2 m)	8.18 meters
Badminton (doubles)		Rectangular	44 feet (13 m)	17.4 meters	20 feet (6.1 m)	9.1 meters
Padel	FIP	Rectangular cuboid	20 meters	-	10 meters	-	4 meters
Squash (singles)	WSF	Rectangular cuboid	9.75 meters	-	6.40 meters	-	4.57 meters
Squash (doubles)		Rectangular cuboid	9.75 meters	-	8.42 meters	-	4.57 meters
Tennis (singles)	ITF	Rectangular	78 feet (24 m)	37 meters	27 feet (8.2 m)	18 meters		clay, grass, hard
Tennis (doubles)		Rectangular	78 feet (24 m)	37 meters	36 feet (11 m)	18 meters		clay, grass, hard
Tchoukball
Tchoukball	FITB	Rectangular	27 meters	-	17 meters	-
Beach tchoukball		Rectangular	21-23 meters	-	11-13 m	-		sand
Track and field
Track and field (indoor)	World Athletics	Stadium	90.03 meters	-	45.78 meters	-	-
Track and field (outdoor)		Stadium	176.91 meters	-	92.52 meters	-	-
Ultimate
Ultimate	WFDF	Rectangular	64 meters	100 meters	37 meters	-	-
Beach ultimate		Rectangular	49 yards (45 m)	82 yards (75 m)	27 yards (25 m)	-	-	sand
Volleyball
Volleyball	FIVB	Rectangular	18 meters	24-31 m	9 meters	15-19 meters		wooden, synthetic
Beach volleyball		Rectangular	16 meters	20-28m	8 meters	18-20 meters		sand
Snow volleyball		Rectangular	16 meters	22 meters	8 meters	14 meters		snow

Game court

Game court is one of the names for a multi-sport athletic space, typically constructed outdoors, where such games as basketball, volleyball, paddle tennis and other racquet sports, and up to a dozen more games and activities can be played. They are usually smaller than a regulation tennis (120' x 60')or basketball (84'x50')court, although there is no set dimensions or size for a game court. The game-court concept was popularized by Sport Court in the 1970s, and some generic references are made to game courts as 'sport courts', although that is a trademark of Connor Sport Court International, LLC. Game courts are often found in residential backyards, giving families and children opportunities for healthy recreation close to home.

Game courts are usually constructed using a rectangular sub-base made from concrete or asphalt, then covered with an open-grid modular polypropylene (or similar) sports surface to improve safety. Most feature athletic equipment such as basketball goals, net systems for racquet sports, volleyball and badminton, lights for nighttime play, fencing or ball containment netting, hockey/soccer goals, lines or markings for various sports, and practice or training components can also be incorporated into the design.

Surface

The surface of a game court—as opposed to simply playing on concrete or asphalt—is designed for safe play and to reduce injury. Many people have started to use suspended athletic courts to cover old athletic courts like tennis courts and basketball courts. The surface should provide appropriate traction for various types of sports and activities, as well as shock or force reduction to minimize overuse and stress injuries.

Game courts are typically custom-designed to the interests of the family or organization, and are versatile in enabling a wide variety of sports to be played in a relatively small space. Some activities played on a game court are enjoyable modifications of other sports (such as short-court tennis) that allow for similar skills to be developed as the 'regulation' game, but on a reduced-scale court size. A typical game court of 50 by 30 feet (15.2 m × 9.1 m) might include a basketball key and 3-point line arranged around a hoop, overlaid by short-court tennis or pickleball lines (which can also be used for volleyball or badminton) along the longer dimension.

Ball containment

Game courts for private use will frequently be built with a high fence surrounding the surface to allow for containment of the ball used in play, and, if required, to prevent people from entering. Any of several materials have been used, including chain-link fencing, welded wire mesh fence, and fabric mesh or netting.

See also

• Line marker (sports)
• Sports venue

References

1. Kapstein, Ethan B (16 Dec 2010). Economic Justice in an Unfair World: Toward a Level Playing Field. Princeton University Press.
2. "OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES - 2023 Edition" (PDF).
3. http://web.mit.edu/~xsdg/Public/papers/himcm-2003.pdf "The width is the distance between foul poles... the Twins’ field width (473.9 ft) and the Braves’ field width (470.2 ft) is not significant. However, the difference between the Rockies’ and Yankees’ field widths (492.9 ft and 446.9 ft, respectively) is very significant."
4. "Official rules of Softball - Fast pitch" (PDF).
5. "The Octagon | UFC". www.ufc.com. 2024-05-08. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
6. "International Flag Football - Rules 2023" (PDF).
7. Weisstein, Eric W. "Stadium". mathworld.wolfram.com. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
8. "Kabaddi: Origin, rules and the Pro Kabaddi League". Khel Now. Retrieved 2021-09-27. The dimensions of the playing area vary for men and women. It is 33ft x 43ft for the former
9. "Standard style and circle style - the two variants of Kabaddi". SportsAdda. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 2021-10-07. In the circle style format, the field is a circle with a radius of 22 meters [i.e. diameter of 44 meters] which is divided into two equal halves by a mid-line.
10. "rules-season1.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved 2022-08-14.

External links

• Rules and dimensions