Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
Beyond having a very good football team, Boise State has gained notoriety for its home field's bright blue playing surface. Copying that would be a heinous bit of cribbing, but running with the same concept only with a different color? That's inspired thinking, at least to the folks at Division I-AA school Eastern Washington, who yesterday announced plans to install a bright red field. I know where I'm seeing my next bull fight.
"There is no doubt that one of Boise State's claims to fame has been their blue turf and like it or dislike it, it has certainly brought them a tremendous amount of notoriety," EWU athletic director Bill Chaves said. "In a similar vein we have a tremendous opportunity at Eastern to do the same by differentiating ourselves with the red turf while providing a superior playing surface."EWU football coach Beau Baldwin said the red field will provide significant advantages to his program.
"It's huge for recruiting because potential student-athletes can see the progress we are making and the positive direction of our program," he said. "With all the different events that can take place at Woodward Field and a stronger game-day experience, it's bound to bring more exposure to our program. We already feel proud about the great things we are doing, but hopefully this project will help us be even bigger and better."
Yes, I am certain that the new red field will help you land all the prize prospects. I can see it now: "Nah, Dad, I was thinking about committing to Florida, but then I saw this school with the big red field on TV. Tell the recruiters I'm sorry."
But who knows? Studies have found higher rates of success for teams that wear red. Maybe the effect is doubly strong when it comes to the playing field.
(H/T to Dr. Saturday)
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
22 comments
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
Scoreboard data copyright © 2012 by STATS LLC. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC is strictly prohibited.
OpenCalais - Powered by Thomson Reuters
•
Odds Shark 
Comments
If they play Alabama, you’ll see nothing but helmets and forearms.
by L'etat, c'est moi on Jan 28, 2010 1:54 PM EST reply actions
And legs.
by jaek on Jan 28, 2010 2:19 PM EST reply actions
and teeth
by L'etat, c'est moi on Jan 28, 2010 2:31 PM EST reply actions
There won’t be any teeth if it’s Alabama.
by BuckeyeXB on Jan 28, 2010 2:57 PM EST reply actions
Still feeling that bowl win, XB?
by jaek on Jan 28, 2010 3:15 PM EST reply actions
@ frenchieAnd eyes!
by jaek on Jan 28, 2010 3:17 PM EST reply actions
Real football teams play on green fields. Gimmicks are for wannabes, and that includes Boise St.
by LSUSMCR on Jan 28, 2010 3:23 PM EST reply actions
Hmm, I now have heard of Eastern Washington University as compared to before I read this when I never did. So at least they made the news I guess.
by XLI on Jan 28, 2010 4:15 PM EST reply actions
Real football teams play on any field
by mathesond on Jan 28, 2010 4:18 PM EST reply actions
I hope Oregon doesn’t beome audacious and change the color of their playing surface to yellow to match their atrocious uniforms.
by PSUHeisman22 on Jan 28, 2010 4:37 PM EST reply actions
If by bowl win you mean the Buckeyes’ Rose Bowl win over the Ducks…then yes…that’s a feeling that will never die. I don’t see its relevance here, though.
by BuckeyeXB on Jan 28, 2010 4:38 PM EST reply actions
LSUSMCR, Boise St. isn’t a wantabe. They have proven themselves greatly, along with Utah, BYU, and Tcu. They want to have blue grass, then they can. I love when teams have there Uniquieness. Boise’s doesn’t hurt my eyes. This Red though with being a little bright.
But being for Washington, I’ve seen EWU play and they are a great FCS school (they play FCS powerhouse Montana every year) and if they want to, go ahead. I don’t see anything wrong.
by wesman94 on Jan 28, 2010 6:21 PM EST reply actions
More obnoxious than the blue field in Boise. We don’t need designer fields – make em all green.
And PSUHeisman22…..don’t give those guys in Oregon any ideas!
by PabloDeTejas on Jan 28, 2010 7:03 PM EST reply actions
Someone remind me to watch that game really drunk that will be a trip
by will5430 on Jan 28, 2010 7:09 PM EST reply actions
Yes, this new field will bring EW more exposure but not in a positive way. If I were a potential recruit and I saw that field the first words out of my mouth would be, "uh, when’s the next flight ?"
by Marvin Wankerstein on Jan 28, 2010 7:32 PM EST reply actions
Oh the innovative Big Sky, i like it… Whats this Gimmicks stuff LSUMCR? EW QB Matt Nichols out of the Big Sky will actually turn out to be a better pro out of this years draft than SEC gimmick QB Tim Tebow.
Wesman94: Now thats guy that knows what he’s talking about!
by Woodville Cedars on Jan 29, 2010 3:37 AM EST reply actions
@BuckeyeXB It’s relevant due to the fact that, since that win, your attitude has changed, and not in a good way.
by jaek on Jan 29, 2010 8:51 AM EST reply actions
Why not play on real grass? Those plastic grass fields are just as, if not more slippery than natural grass when they get wet. The elements should always come into play during football games.
No domes. No plastic grass. I wish administrators would quit trying to sanitize this great sport.
by Oltimma on Jan 29, 2010 9:47 AM EST reply actions
Welcome to Maxipad Field!
by ChiAdam on Jan 29, 2010 10:36 AM EST reply actions
Major conferences wouldn’t allow their teams to have colored fields – and that’s a good thing. Can you imagine every team having a turf with their team color? It would be hideous.
by www.notinhd.com on Jan 29, 2010 11:12 AM EST reply actions
"Hey, is that guy bleeding or is it just the field?"
Truly an ignorant way to try and garner national attention. You want attention? Try fielding a winning team, not that too many people really give a hoot about a division I-AA football program anyway.
Even if the get national TV exposure because of this ridiculos idea, like Boise State, I wouldn’t watch.
by rbdonovan on Jan 29, 2010 11:37 AM EST reply actions
If a CFB playoff ever comes to fruition, I predict the emergence of a trend startlingly similar to that of the female’s March Madness "cute uniform colors" pick
by cjbassett on Jan 29, 2010 11:52 AM EST reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed