KNOXVILLE, TN – While the University of Tennessee football team has an open date on the schedule this weekend, there is still something big going on in Neyland-Thompson Sports Center.

AstroTurf® crews began installing an all-new, state-of-the-art AstroTurf® field in the Vols’ indoor practice facility on Monday.

The turf that was removed from the facility earlier in the week had been in use for over a decade, so the decision was made to replace it.

“We needed to go ahead and handle it from an injury perspective,” said Senior Associate Athletic Director David Blackburn.  “Now was the perfect time because our off-week schedule allowed for it.”

AstroTurf® was able to accommodate the off-week installation because of its patented prefabrication process.  This installation would normally have taken more than two weeks, but AstroTurf® is able to pre-assemble as many as 243 individual inlays that would otherwise have to be assembled on-site.

The inlays were done at AstroTurf®’s climate-controlled facility in Dalton, Georgia by certified and experienced team members.  This process allows for a significant reduction in installation time.

The mid-season installation was also a big consideration for the upcoming recruiting season.

“Facilities play a huge role in recruiting,” said Blackburn.  “It will be a great benefit for us to be able to show recruits our commitment to facilities and the development of young athletes.”

The facility is designed to allow the time to practice in inclement weather and mimic the game situations the team will encounter.
For that reason, the field will feature the midfield “T”, as well as the famed historic checkerboard end zones.

“It’s going to be a beautiful showpiece,” said Head Coach Derek Dooley.

The new practice surface will feature the AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ 3DH system, with a 60 ounce pile weight, the highest of its type in the industry.  The Horseshoe fibers are a dual-post, stronger, cross-section fiber.  The fiber reduces fiber stacking and allows for a higher tuft bind, resulting in less fiber slippage.

For the Vols, this means they will be playing on a safer, more consistent field, which looks and performs more like natural grass than any other surface.

In an independent study at Michigan State University, funded by NFL Charities, AstroTurf® products were found to perform most like natural grass.

AstroTurf® has also made an investment in furthering research on synthetic turf and natural grass fields and partnered with the University of Tennessee to create The Center for Safer Athletic Fields.

“We’re proud to take the lead in this kind of research,” said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf®.  “We’re also proud to be able to provide the best field available to a program like UT, with its tradition of athletic excellence.”

The new field at the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center will be ready for the Vols to practice on Monday.

About AstroTurf®

Watch the three part video series as Charles Monroe, President of Card-Monroe Corp, and Dave Foster discuss new tufting technology and the tufting process.

http://www.utc.edu/Academic/HarrisChair/HallofFame_2010/index.php

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