DALLAS, Dec. 29, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tomorrow, for the first time ever, a college bowl game will be played on a Mondoturf FTS3 artificial turf system. The state-of-the-art field for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl features Ecofill infill, 3NX fiber, Thermo-bonded backing and Fine Tuned Panel underlayment, which all are manufactured by Mondo, the global leader in the sports flooring market.
The bowl game that honors all branches of the United States armed forces, the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl pits Brigham Young University against Tulsa University at Southern Methodist University's Gerald J. Ford Stadium, home to SMU football, men's and women's soccer practice, men's and women's club lacrosse, and sports camps. Kickoff Friday is at 11 a.m. (CST), and the game will air on ESPN and ESPN Radio.
"It is only fitting that the athletes in the bowl game honoring America's armed forces are competing on a state-of-the-art field that is designed to help them perform their best," said Federico Stroppiana, vice president, strategic development, Mondo Group.
Ford Stadium's Mondoturf artificial turf system was installed this spring, replacing an artificial turf field that had reached the end of its useful lifespan after eight years. University officials chose the Mondoturf system for the product's technology and performance, and because of the company behind it has a proven reputation for the highest quality products.
Ecofill infill is a patented, environmentally friendly, factory-manufactured polyolefin-based granule infill that is not made from reground tire pellets. Ecofill delivers the appropriate amount of shock absorption and energy return for optimal, natural-field–like athletic performance. Completely recyclable, Ecofill is virtually odor free, even in hot, humid conditions, and it retains less heat than traditional black rubber granules, so it reduces the potential for athletic fatigue and dehydration.
Mondo's groundbreaking 3NX fiber has proven core characteristics that allow it to perfectly mimic the way natural grass responds, and to do so with outstanding resilience and durability while offering superior player comfort. The 3NX fiber's translational and rotational friction characteristics lend themselves to easy pivots and turns even in high-torque scenarios. Ball roll and bounce mimic roll and bounce on natural grass.
Thermo-bonded, Mondo's newest artificial turf backing, uses proprietary technology to provide a dimensionally stable tufted turf without needing a polyurethane secondary backing. Instead, a dual primary backing holds the turf fibers more securely in place—40 percent better than the industry standard—so it can be handled as necessary with virtually no fiber loss.
The Fine Tuned Panel underlayment is a prefabricated shock pad/drainage system made of recycled tire granules that are treated and encapsulated in polyurethane, preventing the possibility of contamination. The underlayment compacts less than traditional systems, so the field's play and performance characteristics remain consistent throughout the entire surface, ensuring optimal play and outstanding ball action while minimizing the risk of injuries to athletes, even if the infill migrates.
About Mondo
Mondo is the global leader in the sports and contract flooring markets, manufacturing flooring surfaces for virtually every application. More than 1,100 Mondo tracks and 800 Mondo artificial turf fields are installed worldwide. The official supplier of the athletic track for the past nine Olympic Games and the upcoming 2012 London Olympics, Mondo also is the official supplier or official sponsor of more than 100 sports federations and associations.
The company supplies a wide variety of commercial flooring, and it is the world's largest producer of sports and toy balls with an average daily production of 450,000 units. In addition, it manufactures large luxury yachts under its Mondo Marine division.
A family-owned business since its founding in 1948, Mondo sells its products in more than 196 countries. The company's global headquarters are in Italy, and it has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. More information about Mondo is available at mondoworldwide.com.
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Mondo is a registered trademark of Mondo.