Unitas Stadium

[andy7171]

I droive by the stadium this morning to see what is going on. The new Field Turf has been installed and it looks really nice. The new scoreboard is going to be up by the start of the season. As for the new video board, the school is deciding to hold off on that for the '07 season and try to get sponser/donor/a media event to get 2 at once. One for the new Towson Center and one for the Stadium complex.

Either way, Unitas Stadium is going to look even better this upcoming year! xthumbsupx

[GannonFan]

I droive by the stadium this morning to see what is going on. The new Field Turf has been installed and it looks really nice. The new scoreboard is going to be up by the start of the season. As for the new video board, the school is deciding to hold off on that for the '07 season and try to get sponser/donor/a media event to get 2 at once. One for the new Towson Center and one for the Stadium complex.

Either way, Unitas Stadium is going to look even better this upcoming year! xthumbsupx


Good about the Field Turf - the astroturf that was down there before was one of the worst surfaces in the conference - a definite upgrade over what they had, and I'm not even a fan of Field Turf! xnodx

[MplsBison]

Not too long now before Delaware gets their fieldturf.

[henfan]

Not too long now before Delaware gets their fieldturf.

We have it... along the sidelines. You won't see Field Turf as the main playing surface at the Tub so long as the 'grass and mud people' at UD have a say.

[andy7171]

the turf was origianlly installed at Towson for the lacrosse programs. They consistantly had to reschedule or cancel early spring games due to snow and ice on the field. Not because of excessive wear during the football season. The football team never had any problems with the natural grass.

[89Hen]

I didn't know you guys were replacing it this year. xthumbsupx Can't wait to see it this fall.

[aceinthehole]

Can't wait to see the season opener :)

[GannonFan]

Not too long now before Delaware gets their fieldturf.

Never will happen - UD only plays football on gameday on the stadium field - it's not cost effective to put Field Turf in with that little use in this part of the country. Towson plays lacrosse on their field, amongst other activities - that changes the dynamic.

[UNH 40]

We have it... along the sidelines. You won't see Field Turf as the main playing surface at the Tub so long as the 'grass and mud people' at UD have a say.

Good to hear that UD plans on keeping the grass surface at the Tub. For some reason I feel that field turf would take away some of the mystique at the Tub. The grass there is always so nicely painted and kept that field turf would look like a down grade.

[henfan]

Never will happen - UD only plays football on gameday on the stadium field - it's not cost effective to put Field Turf in with that little use in this part of the country. Towson plays lacrosse on their field, amongst other activities - that changes the dynamic.

FTR, UD's AD indicated that the selection of grass for the stadium playing surface was a matter of preference, not cost.


From the Wilmington News Journal, 6 December 2005

Resurfacing begins for UD football field

...An artificial surface had been considered for Tubby Raymond Field, but UD officials preferred grass. However, there will be a synthetic surface applied outside the sidelines, an area that is quickly worn down underneath by so many cleated feet during football games.

"We've always been grass-and-dirt people and we feel that's where the game should be played," [UD AD Edgar] Johnson said...

I've never seen any study that would indicate that natural surfaces are cheaper than artificial surfaces over time, especially considering the maintenace and upkeep. UD's poor track record maintaining a natural surface doesn't bode well either, IMO.

TU's selection was a no brainer. I'm looking forward to seeing the field, along with W&M's new football only surface this season.

[bluehenbillk]

Football should be played on grass, even if it's the feaux grass that a lot of NFL stadiums have now (i.e. the Linc).

[Mr. C]

Football should be played on grass, even if it's the feaux grass that a lot of NFL stadiums have now (i.e. the Linc).
There are places where the grass doesn't grow for a large part of the football season. Trust me, you wouldn't want to play football on grass at App State's Kidd Brewer Stadium. Remember Chattanooga's grass in December?

[SuperJon]

Liberty's the same way. We have to use turf.

[MplsBison]

Johnson can't stay AD at UD forever.

The next generation AD will have been at a place where fieldturf was embraced and he'll be looking for easy ways to trim up the bottom line.

Mua ha ha

[GannonFan]

Johnson can't stay AD at UD forever.

The next generation AD will have been at a place where fieldturf was embraced and he'll be looking for easy ways to trim up the bottom line.

Mua ha ha

Well, unless he comes from the multitudes of places that still use natural grass and have no problem using it. And I don't see Delaware Stadium ever turning into a multi-use stadium so that still won't be an issue. Try again! xlolx xlolx xlolx

[andy7171]

Here's a picture gallery of the process to date at Unitas Stadium...
http://www.towsontigers.com/gallery.asp?section_id=20

..although alot of the pictures are of the track improvements. I'm sure to catch he11 for it being around the field.

[Go...gate]

I droive by the stadium this morning to see what is going on. The new Field Turf has been installed and it looks really nice. The new scoreboard is going to be up by the start of the season. As for the new video board, the school is deciding to hold off on that for the '07 season and try to get sponser/donor/a media event to get 2 at once. One for the new Towson Center and one for the Stadium complex.

Either way, Unitas Stadium is going to look even better this upcoming year! xthumbsupx


Did Towson get all their issues resolved with the Unitas Estate? It sounded like the Estate (as opposed to his second wife and children of his second marriage) were opposed to the naming of the park after him. IMO, it is a beautiful stadium and a fitting tribute to John Unitas and his legacy.

[henfan]

The decision wasn't Johnson's. The Board of Trustees makes those kinds of cost-inefficient f'-ups. In the last 15 years, they've replaced the football playing surface three times- twice in the last three years- and lost hundreds of thousands in revenue due to a moved home game.

If at first you don't succeed, keep doing it wrong. Good job, Brownie! xthumbsupx xsmhx

[bluehenbillk]

There are places where the grass doesn't grow for a large part of the football season. Trust me, you wouldn't want to play football on grass at App State's Kidd Brewer Stadium. Remember Chattanooga's grass in December?


Are you seriously complaining about grass growing in North Carolina?? Visit the CAA, the Patriot & the Ivies that manage it somehow.

[andy7171]

Did Towson get all their issues resolved with the Unitas Estate? It sounded like the Estate (as opposed to his second wife and children of his second marriage) were opposed to the naming of the park after him. IMO, it is a beautiful stadium and a fitting tribute to John Unitas and his legacy.
Being that he was still alive and heading up the Stadium expansion when it was decided to name it after him. As far as I know, everything is settled.

I haven't heard of any Estate issues. I'll check it out to see what the hub-bub is.

[GannonFan]

The decision wasn't Johnson's. The Board of Trustees makes those kinds of cost-inefficient f'-ups. In the last 15 years, they've replaced the football playing surface three times- twice in the last three years- and lost hundreds of thousands in revenue due to a moved home game.

If at first you don't succeed, keep doing it wrong. Good job, Brownie! xthumbsupx xsmhx

Just because you do something and do it wrong does not mean that the something in question can't be done right. If they had done the job right back in 1992 then they wouldn't have had to fix it to begin with. That doesn't mean that putting grass down was wrong. That just means that putting grass down the wrong way was wrong. xthumbsupx

[89Hen]

Are you seriously complaining about grass growing in North Carolina?? Visit the CAA, the Patriot & the Ivies that manage it somehow.
xnodx

Boone, NC
November 10, 2006 - Mean Temp 62°F (picked a day at random in Nov)
Currently 75°F

Newark, DC
November 10, 2006 - Mean Temp 58°F
Currently 77°F

I'm gussing the dead of winter is worse in Boone, but I'd bet summers are far worse in Newark and once you go dormant in the winter, it doesn't matter how much snow you get.

[henfan]

That doesn't mean that putting grass down was wrong. That just means that putting grass down the wrong way was wrong.

In UD's case, it means putting grass down incorrectly and then trying to maintain it on the cheap was wrong. It was a combination of problems.

As a fan, I could really care less what the stadium surface is made of. I don't play on the stuff. My enjoyment of the game isn't impacted whether the game is being played on grass, Field Turf or cheese. It does impact my enjoyment when grass inevitably turns to mud and my team's performance is negatively effected. My enjoyment is impacted when home games are moved 200 miles away. As a fan, I'd like the chances of those things happening minimized as much as possible. If that means installing an artificial surface, who really gives a rat's axx?

[Calif_Colonial]

Heinz Field in Pittsburgh They have replaced that grass field every year since the stadium was built! Remember their last 3 or 4 games. It was a joke. Brown sand between the yard markers. xrolleyesx

[GannonFan]

Heinz Field in Pittsburgh They have replaced that grass field every year since the stadium was built! Remember their last 3 or 4 games. It was a joke. Brown sand between the yard markers. xrolleyesx

More than the Steelers play there - Pitt plays its home games there too. That's a lot of games and often some are on back to back days.

[bluehenbillk]

The WPIAL (that's high school for those outside the Keystone State) also plays all their championship games there, maybe some earlier playoff games too.

[89Hen]

How players in the NFL ranked the playing surfaces at each stadium:
GRASS
FIELDTURF
1. Raymond James Stadium: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. Sun Devil Stadium: Arizona Cardinals
2. Bank Of America Stadium: Carolina Panthers
4. Reliant Stadium: Houston Texans
5. Qwest Field: Seattle Seahawks
6. M&T Bank Stadium: Baltimore Ravens
7. Alltell Stadium: Jacksonville Jaguars
8. Invesco Field At Mile High: Denver Broncos
9. Lincoln Financial Field: Philadelphia Eagles
10. Ford Field: Detroit Lions
11. Qualcomm Stadium: San Diego Chargers
12. FedEx Field: Washington Redskins
13. The Coliseum: Tennessee Titans
14. Arrowhead Stadium: Kansas City Chiefs
15. Georgia Dome: Atlanta Falcons
16. Cleveland Browns Stadium: Cleveland Browns
17. Lambeau Field: Green Bay Packers
18. Pro Player Stadium: Miami Dolphins
19. Monster Park: San Francisco 49ers
20. Giants Stadium: N.Y. Giants/N.Y. Jets
21. Gillette Stadium: New England Patriots *
22. Paul Brown Stadium: Cincinnati Bengals
23. Soldier Field: Chicago Bears
24. Ralph Wilson Stadium: Buffalo Bills
25. Texas Stadium: Dallas Cowboys
26. Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans Saints
27. Heinz Field: Steelers
28. Metrodome: Minnesota Vikings
29. Network Associates Stadium: Oakland Raiders
30. Edward Jones Dome: St. Louis Rams
31. RCA Dome: Indianapolis Colts

*Gillette was grass but went to Fieldturf, but late in the season.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05048/458818.stm

[89Hen]

But don't ask the players, take MPLS's word. xrolleyesx

the NFL Players Association this week. released a survey about field surfaces it conducted among its membership during the season.

The union survery 1,511 of its players during the year, and more than 61% of the respondents had negative reviews of artificial surfaces...

The players overwhelmingly, with 72.7% of the votes, endorsed grass as the best surface on which to play. And for new artificial surfaces, 48.3% of the players advocated a softer feel (vs. 18.5% for firmer).

The long and short of it: Here are the five most common comments players made while answering the questions:
1. Make all fields grass to prevent injuries

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sportsscope/2007/02/status_report_n.html

[henfan]

Not too long now before Delaware gets their fieldturf.

UD's new CEO announced last evening that he'd like to replace the grass surface at Delaware Stadium with Field Turf. Since the new grass surface and subsurface are a year old, it may be a bit before the field is ripped up. Eventually though, a change appears to be in the works.

[MplsBison]

Just as I predicted.


Next target: Georgia Southern.

[MplsBison]

As a fan, I could really care less what the stadium surface is made of. I don't play on the stuff. My enjoyment of the game isn't impacted whether the game is being played on grass, Field Turf or cheese. It does impact my enjoyment when grass inevitably turns to mud and my team's performance is negatively effected. My enjoyment is impacted when home games are moved 200 miles away. As a fan, I'd like the chances of those things happening minimized as much as possible. If that means installing an artificial surface, who really gives a rat's axx?



Absolutely! Couldn't have said it any better from a fan's perspective.

[Ronbo]

If it makes any difference to you UD fans the players really like playing on the FieldTurf/SprinTurf.

[MplsBison]

Not going to let this one die until I get the UD natural grass fundy's (89Hen and GannonFan) response to henfan's claim that UD will have fieldturf soon.

[henfan]

Not going to let this one die until I get the UD natural grass fundy's (89Hen and GannonFan) response to henfan's claim that UD will have fieldturf soon.

To clarify, the Field Turf claim wasn't mine; it was the UD's president's. And no one suggested any changes would happen "soon".

In fact, Dr. Harker admitted that he hasn't had the chance to evaluate the facilities and no final decisions would be made until after the review process is complete. Harker stated he would like to replace the grass, not that it would definitely happen or happen soon. I'm fairly sure he reserves the right to change his mind or, if you knew how UDel operates, have the Trustees change it for him some point along the way.

[DTSpider]

As a fan... My enjoyment is impacted when home games are moved 200 miles away. As a fan, I'd like the chances of those things happening minimized as much as possible.

Of course, as a fan of a team that gets to play a road game at home because of UD's field, I'm hoping that you keep the same surface :D

[MplsBison]

Haha, this is so great. Gannon and 89 are too pissed off to reply!


They're down at the UD athletic department with spit flying out of their mouths as they slam their fists down on the AD's desk "I WON'T ALLOW IT YOU $@*&@(*$(@)!!!!!!".

LOL!

[andy7171]

Haha, this is so great. Gannon and 89 are too pissed off to reply!


They're down at the UD athletic department with spit flying out of their mouths as they slam their fists down on the AD's desk "I WON'T ALLOW IT YOU $@*&@(*$(@)!!!!!!".

LOL!

Did I miss something? Is UD going FieldTurf? xcoffeex

[WMTribe90]

A properly mainteinaed grass field used solely for football games 5 to 7 times a season is the ideal surface for playing football IMO. Now, if the stadium is mulit-sport, or located in the northern latitudes, or needed as a practice surface I realize field turf may be a better option. I understand WM's reasoning for going field turf, but believe our bermuda grass surface, when it was properly maintained, was the best playing surface in the CAA. The new field turf is nice, but does not fit the old brick "colonial" feel of the stadium. Its like putting turf on the Mall in DC, it might be practical, but its out of place.

[andy7171]

A properly mainteinaed grass field used solely for football games 5 to 7 times a season is the ideal surface for playing football IMO. Now, if the stadium is mulit-sport, or located in the northern latitudes, or needed as a practice surface I realize field turf may be a better option. I understand WM's reasoning for going field turf, but believe our bermuda grass surface, when it was properly maintained, was the best playing surface in the CAA. The new field turf is nice, but does not fit the old brick "colonial" feel of the stadium. Its like putting turf on the Mall in DC, it might be practical, but its out of place.
I can't agree more with you! When I played there it was like being on a golf green! Fantastic field.

[DTSpider]

I agree '90. I think that you can look at City Stadium where UR plays as a perfect example. The grass surface there is hard to beat. It doesn't get much use so it's always in great shape.

[MplsBison]

That still doesn't work for me.


The players get used to playing on one type of surface and when they're forced to switch over, it always poses a safety risk, no matter how well maintained.


For me, it's gotta be a uniform, standardized surface across the entire NCAA.

[Maverick]

BSBison,
I am sure your impact on the NCAA adopting your "uniform field" standard will have as much success are your legal arguments about donations did on the Colgate 2003 thread.

Please feel free to cite your basis for the safety issue about players changing fields. Not that anything other than an opinion has seemed to be the basis for you in the past. Where did you play that allowed you to form this opinion? Coaching experience? More than likely the usual illusion created by an overactive self-delusion that you know something. Could be the gas fumes from the pumps at work could be affecting your judgement?

Look forward to you next delusion! xrotatehx xrotatehx xrotatehx xnodx xnodx

[UAalum72]

For me, it's gotta be a uniform, standardized surface across the entire NCAA.
Aha! So it's not just about FCS like you said in the other thread.

And what about teams that don't own their own stadiums? Is the NCAA going to dictate to town councils across the country that they have to spend million$ on their stadiums to keep a college playing there?

[MplsBison]

By across the NCAA I should've said across FCS.


And as I said in the other thread, the NCAA has their ways. IE, no hosting playoff games unless you have turf.