• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Concordia University Sticks with Sprinturf for the New State-of-the-Art Sea Foam Stadium Complex

Posted on: Friday, 24 April 2009, 08:00 CDT

Synthetic Turf Field enables Division II Golden Bears to share their new den with others in the St. Paul community

ST. PAUL, Minn., April 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Concordia University, St. Paul today announced the selection of Sprinturf's new Ultrablade(TM) MM playing surface for its brand new football and soccer facility, Sea Foam Stadium.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080205/NETU108LOGO )

Ultrablade MM, Sprinturf's latest innovation in the Ultrablade line, uses a unique support system within the blend to keep individual fibers standing tall to maintain consistent playability. The two-toned, multi-green fibers also provide a lush, realistic natural grass look and feel. "MM" is a dual-monofilament product designed to prevent the fibers from becoming flattened, which can give some surfaces a "directional" look over time.

The Golden Bears football and women's soccer teams were no strangers to Sprinturf, having played on a Sprinturf surface at their former home, St. Paul's James Griffin Stadium, since 2003. Concordia opened talks with at least six synthetic turf companies but, according to Concordia Athletic Director Tom Rubbelke, the only company that genuinely showed them they wanted the University's business was Sprinturf. All the way up to Sprinturf CEO, Stanley H. Greene, who picked up a phone and called the University.

"At Sprinturf, nothing is more important than our customers. That philosophy begins with me and permeates throughout our entire organization. It is our number one priority," said Greene. "Our customers define our success as a company and it's important to me that all of our customers know that I am accessible. The more I interact with our customers and understand their needs, the stronger we will become as a company."

Rubbelke added, "Stanley Greene made sure we were getting all the information we needed and he made sure we knew Sprinturf would be there to back up its product after we began using it."

Sea Foam Stadium will be a multi-use facility, including an inflatable bubble, making it accessible year-round. Concordia's football and women's soccer teams expect to move into the brand new, 3500 seat stadium, for their 2009 seasons. Sea Foam Stadium will also provide a new practice facility in late winter and early spring for Concordia's baseball team. It will also make Concordia eligible to host NCAA Division II Championships in football and soccer. On a day to day basis, the University's new stadium also will serve the local community, including nearby Higher Ground Academy, an ethnically and culturally diverse K-12 charter school.

Rubbelke noted, "The diverse, multi-ethnic nature of the St. Paul community is definitely focused on soccer and the new Sprinturf pitch is absolutely perfect for soccer because it plays just like natural grass." Added Rubbelke, "There's a real buzz about the new stadium at the Higher Ground Academy, they can't wait."

Concordia's community ties are extensive. After joining Division II in 1999, Concordia partnered with St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS), and moved its football home games off the Concordia campus to Griffin Stadium, a 4,300 seat facility on the campus of St. Paul Central High School.

Griffin Stadium's field is used constantly. At one point, three other high schools which didn't have football fields called it home, as did the Concordia women's soccer team and Hamline University's football team, which played there one season while its field was renovated. The Sprinturf surface installed in 2003 relieved wear tear on the natural surface and allowed a professional soccer team, the USL's Minnesota Thunder, to move in from 2004-2008.

Sea Foam Stadium, with its Sprinturf surface, will also enhance the University's public profile, thanks to its location at the intersection of I-94 and Hamline Avenue, where more than 180,000 cars will pass by the new facility every day. Rubbelke believes that can only help when it comes to attracting positive attention for Concordia and his Golden Bear teams.

ABOUT SPRINTURF

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Wayne, Pennsylvania, Sprinturf is a leading U.S.-based provider of synthetic turf surfaces for private, municipal, high school, collegiate and professional athletic uses. The company is dedicated to delivering athletic surfaces that provide a safe playing environment for all athletes at every level of competition. Sprinturf strives to optimize field safety characteristics such as traction, rotation, grip, drainage, impact and cushioning in order to create an athlete-friendly synthetic turf environment. The company's commitment to field safety is realized through its patented all-rubber infill system, its family of Ultrablade(TM) fibers and its patented triple-layered backing system. Sprinturf has delivered more than 500 playing surfaces across North America and Europe. Marquee customers include the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, Howard University, Sacred Heart University, The University of Montana, Auburn University, UCLA, and the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.sprinturf.com or call us at 877-686-TURF.

ABOUT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL

Concordia University, St. Paul is a comprehensive, private university of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and one of 10 schools that comprise the Concordia University System. Established in 1893, Concordia offers more than 40 liberal arts majors, including business administration, education, fine arts, science and church professions. Concordia is a regional leader in accelerated undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, criminal justice and Christian outreach. Concordia is the only private university in Minnesota to offer NCAA Division II athletics for men and women. On the web: www.csp.edu.

SOURCE Sprinturf, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

More News in this Category