Athletics | 6/15/2016 1:48:00 PM
SAN MARCOS, Texas – Bobcat Stadium becomes the first Division I football program in the nation to install the FieldTurf Revolution 360. The new playing surface, which replaces the Duraspine FieldTurf installed in 2010, is said to be a game-changer in the world of playing surfaces.
"Having a new playing surface installed in Bobcat Stadium is a real plus as it provides proof that Texas State Football is growing and that the future of the program is bright," said football head coach
Everett Withers. "Trust The Path."
Revolution 360 is an improved version of the market-leading Revolution fiber which was created in 2011. NFL teams such as the Seattle Seahawks are located in stadiums that have already undergone the installation of the Revolution 360 FieldTurf with many more on the horizon.
"Nothing else on the market compares to what FieldTurf Revolution 360 can provide in regards to athlete safety and footing coupled with surface durability and visual appeal," said
Jeremy Stolfa, assistant athletic director for game operations and facilities.
What makes Revolution 360 above the rest of the competition is the optimal durability, resilience, and feel of the playing surface. In a Fiber Wear test conducted by Penn State's Center for Sports Surface Research, Revolution 360 showed no signs of wear after 150,000 Lisport cycles; an unprecedented scored achieved by no other fiber on the market. The test is conducted using a Lisport-style wear tester with two cylinders outfitted with studs that simulate field use.
The new turf will also be equipped with CoolPlay which is FieldTurf's exclusive and innovative Extruded Cork Composite (ECC) top dressing that will keep the playing surface 35 degrees cooler than traditional sand/rubber infill systems. The crumb rubber that was on the original playing surface absorbs heat, causing the surface temperature to rise.
"With the additive of CoolPlay V2, Jim Wacker Field will be noticeably cooler than traditional artificial fields in the Texas heat," added Stolfa.
The new ECC replaces the crumb rubber top dressing which is proven to offer better performance and safety. Universities like Nebraska, Arizona, Notre Dame, Georgia, and Maryland have all installed CoolPlay on its fields.
The only other field in the state of Texas with the new FieldTurf Revolution 360 is the soccer field at UTEP. It was installed last summer.
The design of the field stayed relatively consistent with the old pattern with the exception of a few adjustments. The field now features alternating shades of green every five-yards and the state of Texas is in the design of the turf just outside of the south end zone behind the goalpost. The end zones are in the Texas State maroon with Texas State lettered in gold with white outline.
"With the new look and improved student-athlete safety, this is a great enhancement for Bobcat Stadium," concluded Stolfa.
