I'm concerned about the trend at the college level with the colored football fields. To this point it's only been solid colors, most notably Boise State with their bright blue field, and more recently Eastern Washington with their bright red field. It was only a matter of time before a school took it to the next level - with a multi-colored field. That day has arrived.
The school is the University of Central Arkansas. Today their athletic department announced some improvements to their facilities, including luxury suites to their football stadium and a strength and conditioning complex to their indoor athletic complex, and a new artificial multi-colored turf field.
Fortunately the NFL has just put a rule in place banning the colored fields before the pro teams get carried away (or at least mandating that their fields must be a shade of green). Unfortunately, the NCAA tends to move slowly with matters like this. How many more years will we have to wait?
Central Arkansas takes the colorful turf trend to a new level. [Dr. Saturday]
The school is the University of Central Arkansas. Today their athletic department announced some improvements to their facilities, including luxury suites to their football stadium and a strength and conditioning complex to their indoor athletic complex, and a new artificial multi-colored turf field.
...the surface of First Security Field at Estes Stadium will not contain even a trace of green. Instead the school has opted for a unique design incorporating the Central Arkansas school colors of purple and gray, with black and white accents.
In contrast from solid-colored surfaces such as the famed blue turf of Football Bowl Subdivision power Boise State and – more recently – the red turf at reigning Football Championship Subdivision national champion Eastern Washington, the playing surface at Central Arkansas will feature purple and gray alternating in five-yard sections from the goal lines out to the 45-yard lines. Between the 45s will be a 10-yard gray segment with the logo – which will span 20 yards – centered at midfield. The end zones will be black with “Bears” in white lettering with secondary bear paw logos on either side, giving it an appearance unrivaled anywhere in college football.So, the colored field trend will continue to be a game of "can you top this?" until someone takes it too far (i.e. a spectrum of colors covering the field) and the NCAA finally has to step in. That probably won't happen until one of the TV networks gets too many complaints from viewers after their eyes are burning from looking at an ugly field for a few hours.
Fortunately the NFL has just put a rule in place banning the colored fields before the pro teams get carried away (or at least mandating that their fields must be a shade of green). Unfortunately, the NCAA tends to move slowly with matters like this. How many more years will we have to wait?
Central Arkansas takes the colorful turf trend to a new level. [Dr. Saturday]
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
