Michigan State University Selects FieldTurf for Duffy Practice Field

EAST LANSING, MI (August 14, 2013) – FieldTurf has been selected as the football turf of choice for Michigan State University’s Duffy Daugherty Football Building. The decision to install FieldTurf was made after an extensive evaluation of many different turf systems.

Since its inception decades ago, Michigan State researchers at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center have evaluated many different turf systems in the effort of understanding performance on various different surfaces.

"There's no shortage of a conscious effort by our athletic administration to continue to improve us in every way," said Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio on the new football practice field.

Dantonio also mentioned several reasons on the importance of the new FieldTurf for the Spartan football program.

“We’re playing games on that surface, and we get limited going inside,” Dantonio said. “We needed outside field turf. We haven’t had it – we’ve existed without it, but sometimes we get thrown inside because of the wetness, especially in the spring. I want to make sure we have the opportunity to cross that bridge right now with being able to be outside when it’s wet out in the fall, especially in November.”

“It’s always gratifying when a customer like Michigan State, known for its athletic excellence and knowledge of synthetic and natural turf systems, puts their trust in our company and in our product,” said FieldTurf President Eric Daliere. “Everyone at FieldTurf is proud of our association with Spartan athletics and we are completely committed to providing a world-class playing surface.”

The Duffy Daugherty Building, located across the street from Spartan Stadium, is named after the legendary Spartan coach who went 109-69-5 from 1954-1972 to become the winningest coach in program history. The state-of-the-art facility underwent its first major overhaul prior to the 1997 football season. The construction added 17,000-square feet to the complex, more than doubling the facility's original size from its opening in 1979. A $15 million expansion and renovation project for the Duffy Daugherty Building began in June 2007, and in August 2008, the Spartans moved into one of the nation's finest football facilities, the 25,000-square-foot Skandalaris Football Center, which includes team, staff and position meeting rooms, coaches' offices and The Demmer Family Hall of History. The FieldTurf playing surface was installed on the outdoor practice fields behind the Duffy Daugherty Building to complement the Spartans’ natural grass field.

Eight Big Ten football members play their home games on FieldTurf while all member schools play and/or practice on a FieldTurf surface. FieldTurf’s safety, performance and durability levels have proven to be ideal for the sport of football with over 100 D-1 schools playing and/or practicing on FieldTurf.