Sac Rat/Field Turf

[Green Cookie Monster]

SR, you mentioned in your twitter that the Hornet announcers said the stadium is getting field turf next year. I missed the comment, any more info? Funding source, reasons, etc?

I thought we preferred grass b/c of track &field.

 

[Sac Rat]

I heard the guys mention that field turf, or something similar, would be installed for next year. No explanation as to why, when, or who is paying for it. FieldTurf, surprise, says significant savings can be had by installing their product. http://fieldturfgreenscapes.com/page/14-Cost-Analysis

Unfortunately, it probably comes to that. I prefer grass.

 

[Hornut]

Grass definitely. Plus, fans always see the black little pellets they use to weigh down the FAKE grass. If they go to this kind of fake "turf"", It will always remind us of 80's baseball astro-turf.

Go Hornets!

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

If the maintenance crew is on furlough, who will maintain the grass? Apply water, herbicide and sprinkle it with talcum powder?

Purely cost cutting. I prefer grass, but the economies of scale clearly point to an artificial surface.

I've been on some pretty nice rugs, they are sweet. Permanently green with logo's, markers, etc. Boise has the blue rug, why not make ours light gold/yellow and paint alternating green 10yd stripes? Make it look like a Hornet stinger.

If true, the school can now rent out the stadium for use by HS ball on friday night. Or davis if they ever need a bigger stadium. :lol:

Not sure how purty it will be after javelins and the like are thrown into it. Wonder what the fine print in the 8yr warranty says?

 

[Hammerhead Dad]

I was at a Stinger Foundation meeting last week and Dr. Wanless mentioned that the field would start construction shortly after the season is over. They are working on the bid process now. I met a couple of the vendors competing for the job at the "Dinner Under the Lights" also and they mentioned this is a reality. It will be in by the spring of 2010.

 

[fickyfack]

i live out here in the midwest, and over the past 10 years there has been a decisive shift to the rugs by all colleges and even most high schools. since we have the spring thaw and get alot of downpours here in spring and summer, field time for all sports teams becomes very limited. it comes down to allowing more use of the field for more people with lowered maintenance costs. AND you always have a beautiful field. it's durable as heck, and you're playing on a cross section of sand and rubber granules - no more astroturf on concrete. and no more games with the equalizer of playing in the mud, and having the field look like crap by the season's end. (personally i think the hornets laundry guy is behind this whole thing, tired of bleaching out all the grass stains).

at our local high school, the football field is always being used (i.e. rented) by youth soccer teams, pop warner, various athletic camps, etc.

i am somewhat of a romantic for grass fields, the grittiness and dirt and mud and all. but maybe it's going the way of the leather helmet, goal posts at the goal line, johnny unitas high top cleats, and fred bilitnikoff stickem. i am all for the rug, but at least stick with green, Boise State's field makes me want to vomit everytime i see it. maybe that's why they do so well...

 

[superhornet]

There are two main problems with your scenario. The Lodi News-Sentinel recently published an article about our local debate on installing Field Turf at the historic Grape Bowl, site of at least two UOP bowl wins and a Rams-49ers tilt. I've always been dead set against any sort of synthetic turf because of the injury factor. But the LNS article cited one or two schools who recently jumped on the turf bandwagon who are constantly having to secure the place, preventing revenue-generating games and concerts because on-field temperatures hit the 130s IN NORCAL.

We can't afford those problems. Keep the grass. Football was designed for grass, anyways. A little mud football never hurt anyone.

 

[SDHornet]

This decision will be strictly a monetary one. Sac State can layoff a few, if not more, union faculty. This will save the school thousands over time. That alone will help the money spent on this turf justify itself.

Here in SoCal these turfs are huge due to the water savings factor. I had the pleasure of playing on one of the first turf fields installed in San Diego when I was playing high school football. Injuries on this stuff are no more significant, if not less, then on grass. To be honest, they are pretty sweet and I like the idea of putting this in at Hornet Stadium. I don’t know how much this will affect track and field events, but who cares. I don’t know the numbers but I am sure that track and field doesn’t even come close to generating the same amount of revenue as football does.

 

[Hammerhead Dad]

The decision to put in turf is done. The only decision left is which vendor will we buy it from. SprintTurf and FieldTurf are the main competitors. FieldTurf does the majority of major college and NFL fields. SprintTurf is who put in Montana's field 8 years ago and just replaced it again.

This generation of turf is much different than the original turf that did cause a lot of injuries. I don't believe there is a significant difference now.

 

[fickyfack]

This generation of turf is much different than the original turf that did cause a lot of injuries. I don't believe there is a significant difference now.

the original astroturf was essentially a cheap carpet laid on a concrete base, no padding at all, hence many injuries and the original turf toe. as for the heat factor, schedule non hornet events in the morning hours, and hornet games in the night at the beginning of the season.

the only track event that could potentially damage the field is the javelin, which i don't believe would since you're throwing it into a deep sand/rubber substrate. plus, the majority of track meet officials really don't like the javelin thrown like you see in the olympics-thrown from one end of the field to the other. every other event has to kinda shut down, watch and wait. most people running meets like to throw the javelin (and shot and discus) outside the track confines, because they may only have a one day meet.

 

[SactoHornetAlum]

This generation of turf is much different than the original turf that did cause a lot of injuries. I don't believe there is a significant difference now.

the original astroturf was essentially a cheap carpet laid on a concrete base, no padding at all, hence many injuries and the original turf toe. as for the heat factor, schedule non hornet events in the morning hours, and hornet games in the night at the beginning of the season.

the only track event that could potentially damage the field is the javelin, which i don't believe would since you're throwing it into a deep sand/rubber substrate. plus, the majority of track meet officials really don't like the javelin thrown like you see in the olympics-thrown from one end of the field to the other. every other event has to kinda shut down, watch and wait. most people running meets like to throw the javelin (and shot and discus) outside the track confines, because they may only have a one day meet.

The school has built brand new competition javelin and hammer throw areas in between Hornet Field (baseball) and the practice track. So the field events that could damage the field are no longer a worry and we are not going to get any big time track meet again for the foreseeable future...so bring on the FieldTurf (that's my vote). Plus, groups like the Sac State Marching Band can practice in the stadium now. Its a win-win as far as I am concerned.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

I agree, looking forward to the rug. It will make the stadium more polished looking and save some maintenance $$.