TULSA, Okla., June 3, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- When it came time for the University of Tulsa to select a new surface for venerable Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium, the Golden Hurricane went by the old axiom -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So TU selected the latest-and-greatest version of FieldTurf to be installed at Skelly Field in time for the 2008 football season. The announcement was made jointly by Tulsa Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham and FieldTurf Tarkett CEO Joe Fields.
Skelly Field has had FieldTurf since 2000, and after eight seasons, the school wanted to upgrade to the newest version of the FieldTurf football product. The new state-of-the-art FieldTurf will be in place when the Golden Hurricane play their 2008 football home opener against New Mexico on September 20.
"With us having FieldTurf, it's an unbelievable advantage," said Tulsa Head Football Coach Todd Graham. "As far as our usage, the advantages are numerous -- it's less abrasive, it's not as hard, it's a softer surface, it will reduce the amount of injuries and it allows us to practice on it daily without the same wear and tear as we'd have on a grass field. It is very valuable to us to have this type of surface. The cosmetics of the field are tremendous. The numbers and lines are all inlayed, so there's no paint anywhere on our field. The blue end zones and the logos will make the field jump out on game day. It's one of the most attractive fields in the country. I think it's the best-looking field I've ever seen."
"We are pleased to be able to deliver the finest artificial turf football field in the world to the University of Tulsa," said Fields. "What makes this even more special for us is to have UT as a repeat customer for our football product. They have been extremely pleased with the safety and the playability of FieldTurf for the past eight seasons, and we know that the university is anxious to get the newest version of our product and to enjoy the benefits of our new, advanced technology. We want to assure the Golden Hurricane coaches, players, staff and fans that they will have a playing surface that is second to none when the team takes the field for that home opener against New Mexico in September."
Formerly known as Skelly Stadium, the facility was renamed Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium in 2007. Constructed in 1930, it has been the home of the Golden Hurricane for 77 years. With an original seating capacity of 14,500, it can now accommodate 30,000 spectators.
More than 40 major NCAA universities have FieldTurf in their stadiums, including Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Washington, Oregon, Boston College, Rutgers, Kansas State, Louisville and Missouri. Twenty-one of the NFL's 32 teams use FieldTurf at their stadium and/or practice facility. In addition, MLB's Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays have FieldTurf at their respective stadiums.
FieldTurf Tarkett is the largest entity in the sports surfacing industry and provides unparalleled leasing capabilities, engineering and manufacturing resources. In addition to its world-renowned FieldTurf and Prestige brands of artificial turf, FieldTurf Tarkett provides an equally impressive range of sports flooring products that includes synthetic and hardwood basketball, volleyball and gymnasium flooring, squash and racquetball courts, floor protection and covering systems, and weight room flooring. Also in the range of FieldTurf Tarkett products are indoor and outdoor running tracks including the high performance Le Monde track system, the Resisport track system, the Beynon track surfaces, playground surfacing, commercial and residential landscaping, and a complete range of tennis and golf surfaces. For more information, visit www.fieldturftarkett.com