Ball State University Athletics
Ball State To Become Eighth MAC School To Install FieldTurf
March 06, 2007 | Football
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State University is the latest Mid-American Conference school to choose FieldTurf for the playing surface in its football stadium. The decision to install FieldTurf at Ball State's Scheumann Stadium was jointly announced by Ball State director of intercollegiate athletics, Tom Collins, and FieldTurf chief John Gilman.
"We are extremely excited to have the installation of FieldTurf as a part of our project to renovate Scheumann Stadium," Collins says. "We believe this is the best product on the market and will be very beneficial not only for the football program at Ball State, but it will also allow the opportunity to host additional events on campus and in the Muncie community. We are looking forward to the completion of the project and our partnership with FieldTurf."
Ball State will become the eighth member of the MAC to elect to play its home football games on FieldTurf, the world's leader of artificial turf. No other NCAA conference boasts as many FieldTurf fields as the MAC.
"We believe FieldTurf is the best synthetic field on the market," Ball State head coach Brady Hoke says. "We are very excited for the football program and for all this field will do to help us each and every day. The surface will be a benefit for our student-athletes in terms of preparation and on game days. The FieldTurf surface provides outstanding footing and plays just like a grass surface, while offering better drainage and other amenities. This upgrade, plus all the others being made to Scheumann Stadium this spring, is exciting. As a football program, we are looking forward to its completion."
In addition to Ball State, the other MAC schools with FieldTurf include Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami University, Northern Illinois, Ohio and Western Michigan. FieldTurf is also the turf of choice for the National Football League, with 21 of the league's 32 teams currently utilizing the surface.
"We're delighted Ball State is joining the FieldTurf family," said Gilman. "It's extremely gratifying to know that a quality conference like the MAC thinks so highly of our product. It's quite unusual for a product like ours to so thoroughly dominate a conference, and we're proud of that. With the continued advancement of FieldTurf, I truly believe that this will become a trend. FieldTurf provides many positive attributes to a stadium, especially to those located in cold weather climates. I'm confident that our major college installations will continue to grow. I want to thank Tom Collins and Coach (Brady) Hoke for the confidence that they have shown in FieldTurf."
FieldTurf has installed more than 1900 fields in over 40 countries. FieldTurf remains the only product in the industry to offer a fully insured warranty for its product. Further information on FieldTurf can be obtained by calling (800) 724-2969, or by visiting www.fieldturf.com.
Scheumann Stadium has featured natural grass since its opening in 1967. Named for former Ball State football player John Scheumann and his wife, June, the facility is currently undergoing a $13.6 million renovation.
