DALTON, Ga., June 23, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Add Rutgers Stadium on the campus of Big East member Rutgers University to the growing list of Division I football stadiums who have decided to install FieldTurf. That decision was jointly announced today by RU Athletics Director Robert Mulcahy and FieldTurf CEO John Gilman. The installation of the new FieldTurf surface will be completed in time for the Scarlet Knights' 2004 home football opener against Michigan State.
Rutgers becomes the second Big East school and the 20th NCAA Division 1 university to have FieldTurf in its football stadium. Some of the others include Nebraska, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kansas State, Washington, Oregon and Missouri. Many additional D-1 programs also have FieldTurf at their training/practice facilities.
Under the direction of Head Coach Greg Schiano, the Scarlet Knights' football program has been on an upswing. In 2003, Rutgers posted its highest win total in five years. The addition of FieldTurf to Rutgers Stadium is yet another upgrade in the university's athletic facilities, as presided over by Mulcahy.
"The addition of FieldTurf to Rutgers Stadium is yet another element in the ongoing improvement to our football program," said Mulcahy. "Rutgers Stadium now possesses one of the best playing surfaces in the country and we are pleased with the upgrade to our facility."
"The tradition of Rutgers football goes back as far as that of any college program in the country, all the way back to 1869," said Gilman. "Certainly, we at FieldTurf believe that we are building a tradition as the worldwide leader in the artificial turf industry. When you think about Rutgers and Big East football, you think about the tradition of Eastern fall football afternoons. We are proud to become a small part of Rutgers football, while at the same time, make a contribution to the continued evolution of Rutgers Stadium as one of the premier college football venues on the east coast."
Rutgers Stadium was built in 1994 and can accommodate 41,500 fans. The stadium was financed by a New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority bond issue proposal which was approved in 1992. Giants Stadium, which is operated by the NJSEA, also has FieldTurf. The stadium features all of the modern amenities, including a 200-seat press box. Rutgers Stadium also offers incredible views of the Watchung Hills and the Verazzano Bridge.
FieldTurf has become the unquestioned artificial turf of choice of the NCAA and the National Football League. Twenty of the NFL's 32 teams currently have FieldTurf at either their stadiums and/or their practice facilities. In a poll of all NFL players, the NFL Players Association ranked FieldTurf as the third-best of the NFL's 32 stadium fields. In that poll, FieldTurf finished ahead of 20 of the league's 22 natural grass fields. FieldTurf was also the first artificial surface approved for World Cup play by FIFA, the world governing body of soccer.
Over the past few years, the quality and performance of FieldTurf's patented system has resulted in over 950 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 offers a full range of artificial grass solutions. For more information on FieldTurf, please visit fieldturf.com, or call (800) 724-2969.