MUNCIE, Ind., March 6, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Ball State is the latest Mid-American Conference university to choose FieldTurf for its football stadium. The decision to install FieldTurf at Ball State's Scheumann Stadium was jointly announced by BSU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Collins and FieldTurf Tarkett CEO John Gilman. The new FieldTurf surface will be in place when the Cardinals open their 2007 home schedule.
Ball State thus becomes the eighth member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) to elect to play its home football games on FieldTurf, the world's runaway leader of artificial turf. No other NCAA conference boasts as many FieldTurf fields as does the MAC. Amongst MAC returnees, only Bowling Green will play their games on natural grass this fall. The 2007 football campaign will mark the first one in which Ball State has not played its home contests on grass.
"We are extremely excited to have the installation of FieldTurf as a part of our project to renovate Scheumann Stadium," said Collins. "We believe this is the best product on the market and will be very beneficial not only for the football program at Ball State, but it will also allow us the opportunity to host additional events on the campus and in the Muncie community. We are looking forward to the completion of the project and to our partnership with FieldTurf."
"Ball State believes that FieldTurf is the best synthetic field on the market, and we are very excited for the football program and for all that this field will do to help us each and every day," said Ball State Head Football Coach Brady Hoke. "The surface will be a benefit for our student-athletes in terms of preparation and on game day. This FieldTurf surface provides outstanding footing and plays just like a grass surface while offering better drainage and other amenities. This upgrade, plus all the others being made to Scheumann Stadium this spring, is exciting and as a football program, we are looking forward to its completion."
"We're delighted that Ball State is joining the FieldTurf family," said Gilman. "It's extremely gratifying to know that a quality conference like the MAC thinks so highly of our product, and we're proud of that. FieldTurf provides many positive attributes to stadiums all over the world, especially to those located in cold weather climates. I'm confident that our major college installations will continue to grow. I want to thank Tom Collins and Coach (Brady) Hoke for the confidence that they have shown in FieldTurf."
Scheumann Stadium, which currently seats 25,400, has featured natural grass since its opening in 1967. Named for former Ball State football player John Scheumann and his wife, June, the facility recently underwent a $13.6 million renovation.
In addition to Ball State, the other MAC schools with FieldTurf include Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami, Northern Illinois, Ohio and Western Michigan. FieldTurf is also the turf of choice for the National Football League, with 21 of the league's 32 teams currently utilizing the surface.
FieldTurf has installed more than 1900 fields in over 40 countries. FieldTurf remains the only product in the industry to offer a fully insured warranty for its product. Further information on FieldTurf can be obtained by calling (800) 724-2969, or by visiting www.fieldturf.com.