ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 16, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- One of the most successful professional soccer franchises in the country, the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the United Soccer Leagues' first division, has selected FieldTurf for the playing field of PAETEC Park, the team's 17,500-seat soccer specific stadium that will open next June.
"We needed a field that could take the number of events we're going to have as well as the weather conditions in upstate New York," said Rhinos president Frank DuRoss.
DuRoss said there will be over 60 events there from April to October including USL, W-League and high school soccer, the Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse, high school football and lacrosse, a drum and bugle corps competition, and concerts. The facility also hopes to host a Buffalo Bills inter-squad scrimmage. The Rhinos hosted the U.S. National Women's Team twice at their previous home and will pursue U.S. National Team soccer matches at PAETEC.
"The fans in Rochester are very soccer-knowledgeable and the Rhinos knew that they had to have a first-rate field," said Hank Steinbrecher, the former Executive Director/Secretary General of U.S. Soccer and currently an Executive Vice President of FieldTurf. "We are dedicated to the game and are proud to be working with the Rhinos in their development of a great American soccer stadium."
FieldTurf was the very first artificial surface to attain FIFA certification due to its superior grass-like performance, which soccer players prefer. FieldTurf fields around the world have passed the international governing body's stringent testing and continue to be the field of choice.
FieldTurf has already installed 22 FIFA-recommended soccer pitches across the globe with several others, such as PAETEC Park, currently under construction. These fields have hosted World Cup qualifiers, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Cup games. The 2005 USL Division One championship between Seattle and Richmond was played on FieldTurf at Qwest Field.
The PAETEC Park field, named for a telecommunications company based in Rochester, will be 77 x 120 yards with 15-20 feet clearance on the sides. It will feature permanent lines for soccer and temporary paint for other events.
With the addition of Rochester, who averaged 10,000 fans per game last season, almost half of the 12-team USL first division will be playing home games on artificial turf during 2006 season. The Seattle Sounders were the first USL club on FieldTurf at Qwest Field, also home to the NFL Seattle Seahawks.
DuRoss and his partners visited numerous facilities, saw numerous products and received proposals from five companies before deciding on FieldTurf.
"We were impressed by the number of installations worldwide and the quality of the product, the integrity of the ownership and management staff," said DuRoss. "We had a comfort level that it was the best surface out there."