the ground is higher between the hashmarks, and lower by the sidelines. allows rainwater to drain off the field a lot faster.
The crown is the rise in the middle of the field so that it slopes to the sidelines to drain rain off quicker. Tiger Stadium in the 70's had a really tall crown of about 18 inches, I think. Quarterbacks from flat turf fields often commented on it. But when the under-field drainage system was installed about 10 years ago the crown was lowered about a foot. There is still a crown, but it is insignificant for a passer.
as others have said, it is a slope on the field so when it rains, the water runs off to the sidelines. It peaks or crowns in the middle of the field. That is sort of where the term "running down hill" comes from when the runner was headed to the sidelines.
Ha ha. Agreed. Lets make the field gold, wear gold pants and gold jerseys with gold (yellow) helmets. And I can add it to the list of teams I will never watch at a home game (not that i would watch boise anyway) :rofl:
BTW I have heard the term crown used through the years but IMO it is more precisely described as a ridge. crown - the top or highest part of anything, as of a hat or a mountain. ridge - the long and narrow upper edge, angle, or crest of something, as a hill, wave, or vault.
