REGINA, Saskatchewan, April 3, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Saskatchewan Roughriders have elected to install FieldTurf at Mosaic Stadium, it was jointly announced today by FieldTurf CEO John Gilman and Roughriders President/CEO Jim Hopson. The new FieldTurf will debut when the Roughriders host the Calgary Stampeders in a preseason game on June 22.
FieldTurf is replacing the seven-year-old Astroturf surface that is currently in place at Mosaic Stadium. Mosaic becomes the fifth Canadian Football League team to install FieldTurf at their home stadium, joining the British Columbia Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts.
"We couldn't be more delighted that the Roughriders have chosen FieldTurf for Mosaic Stadium," said Gilman. "The Roughriders are one of the most historic franchises in the CFL and Mosaic Stadium is one of the league's venerable venues. I want to thank Jim Hopson, Head Coach Kent Austin, along with General Manager and Vice President of Football Operations Eric Tillman for their support . . . they really did their homework before selecting our product. FieldTurf is the world leader in artificial turf, and as a Canadian-based company, it means a lot to us to partner with the Roughriders on this project."
"We are very excited to make this announcement," said Hopson. "After looking at a number of different proposals, FieldTurf was selected as it best met the needs of the City and the Riders."
"The City of Regina is extremely pleased to be providing this important enhancement to such a vital facility in our community," said Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco. "The installation of FieldTurf will not only benefit the variety of community organizations that use the stadium, but will also help ensure the sustainability of Mosaic Stadium."
Re-christened Mosaic Stadium on June 23, 2006, the facility has recently undergone several key enhancements that make it one of the top stadiums in the CFL. A new video scoreboard and a new sound system were both introduced in 2005. The stadium, which seats 28,800 fans, hosted the Grey Cup in both 1995 and 2003.
In addition to its five stadiums in the CFL, the use of FieldTurf is also very widespread in the National Football League and among NCAA Division I universities. Twenty-two of the NFL's 32 teams currently use FieldTurf at their stadiums and/or practice facilities. More than 40 major universities also utilize FieldTurf.
FieldTurf is the result of years of research -- evident in the patented FieldTurf infill mix of silica sand and cryogenic rubber and patented layering process that delivers a system which emulates natural grass. Additional benefits are found in improved player safety, reduced maintenance costs and flexibility for conversion -- allowing stadium managers to quickly change the field from one sport to another or to easily host a variety of sporting events, concerts and other special events on top of the FieldTurf surface.
Over the past few years, the quality and performance of FieldTurf's patented system has resulted in over 1900 installations in more than 40 countries, and has made it the first choice for top stadiums around the world. FieldTurf is a privately held company that has revolutionized the artificial turf industry with its patented products and installation technologies. FieldTurf also offers a full range of artificial grass solutions. For more information on FieldTurf, please visit www.fieldturf.com.