I got the scoop on our FieldTurf -- FORDHAM RAMS FOOTBALL FORUM

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Subject: I got the scoop on our FieldTurf

Author:
ramMan
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Date Posted: 11:32:58 02/01/05 Tue

Dete�s post below got me concerned so I made a few phone calls to the FieldTurf company.
I first spoke to the area rep, then the contractor doing the installation at Jack Coffey Field.
We�re getting an all green field (i.e., blank field) -- exactly what�s installed at Giants Stadium.
Field markings will be painted on the field with removable paint.
The cost of the machine that paints and removes the markings (which Fordham bought) is between $30,000 and $40,000.
It�s a 6-12 hour process to remove the markings of one sport and install the markings of another. Soccer can be played on the field on a Friday and football on Saturday.
I was told Fordham chose the blank field because according to NCAA regulations, soccer cannot be played on a field with football markings.
I was also told logos and insignia can be painted on the field with the removable paint.

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Subject Author Date

Good news for soccer, though I have to believe the yard lines will remain. The flexibility is a good thing. (NT) RC74 12:45:09 02/01/05 Tue

The contractor said that when the field is in use by the soccer teams, the football yard lines would be �faintly� visible. I never watched a Metro Stars game, but he told me if you look closely, you could make out the football markings -- barely. I had a 5-10 minute conversation with the rep and a 10-15 minute conversation with the contractor, so if anyone has questions feel free to ask� I�ll try my best to answer. (NT) -- ramMan, 13:04:05 02/01/05 Tue

Unfortuantely, the football lines stay at GS once the pointy-ball season starts, making for an ugly field down the stretch for the MetroStars. That, of course, may simply be due to the cheapness and ineptitude of the sports authority ( an organization Frank would thrive in). (NT) -- RC74, 12:23:56 02/02/05 Wed

If Fordham is going to get in the habit of painting and removing lines before and after each football game, this means the availability of the field will be reduced for other sports and uses. Also, the cost of paint and paying someone to do this overnight will offset the cost savings gained by eliminating lawn care expenses. Either way, good work checking this out ramMan and another example of a message board compensating for institutional silence. (NT) DamnRam 12:50:22 02/01/05 Tue

The University also saved money by going with the �all green� field. The contractor told me a �permanently painted� field costs significantly more because the markings are woven into the carpet, not painted. (NT) -- ramMan, 13:08:28 02/01/05 Tue

Thanks for providing this background, ramMan. Excellent detective work. This should have been provided on the Fordham Athletics website since there have been so many alums inquiring about it. (NT) -- Rambacker, 13:27:40 02/01/05 Tue

The contractor told me University employees/groundskeepers will be trained on how to paint and remove the field markings. He said it�s a very simple process but time consuming. Check out the University of Richmond link at the end of this message. I think the machine that the groundskeeper is using may be the one that paints and removes markings. -- Click here (NT) -- ramMan, 13:23:40 02/01/05 Tue
We only have five or six football games a year, and team practices on Murphy. We should be able to manage doing what's necessary to get the field ready for football, and then removing those markings after the game. (NT) -- JoltinJoe, 15:20:02 02/01/05 Tue

That�s correct, Joe. I was told we could play soccer on the field on Friday, football on Saturday and soccer again on Sunday. (The soccer teams play their conference games on Fridays and Sundays.) My guess is the football team will practice on Murphy Field (which has permanent football markings) and play its games on Jack Coffey Field, and the soccer teams will practice and play their games on Coffey Field. Prep Field, which is also getting FieldTurf, would be available too. (NT) -- ramMan, 16:25:06 02/01/05 Tue

Re: Is the process of painting and removing the lines effected by the weather? (NT) -- Ram Old Man, 17:31:14 02/01/05 Tue

Not sure, we didn�t get into that, but I was told the temporary field markings last about a month (depending on the amount of rainfall) if left untouched. In addition, the turf is so durable a truck can plow snow off it, which is great for when we host playoff football games in December. ;-) (NT) -- ramMan, 17:52:36 02/01/05 Tue

DID ANYBODY THINK ABOUT FU'S TEAM OR THE VISITING TEAM FOR THAT MATTER.... DONT BOTH TEAMS PRACTICE ON FRIDAYS ON THE ACTUAL GAME SURFACE (COFFEY FIELD) ???? NOW EITHER TEAM CANT GET ON THE FIELD BECAUSE OF SOCCER GAME BEING PLAYED??? ON TOP OF THAT IF IT TAKES 6-12 HOURS TO LINE THE FIELD.. THERE WILL BE NO TIME FOR EITHER FTBL TEAM HOME OR VISITING TO GET ON IT!!!!! IF FU WAITS TO LINE FIELD UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT.. BOTH TEAMS WILL HAVE TO WARM UP/PRACTICE ON A BLANK SURFACE ON FRIDAY?? THE ADMIN. AT FU SHOULD ALL BE FIRED.. (NT) -- EGO'70, 18:58:42 02/01/05 Tue

Nearly all A-10 home soccer games are played in the month of October. We could schedule football games at night under the lights during that month so that both teams can practice on the field Saturday morning/afternoon. The removal of soccer field markings as well as installation of football markings could be done Friday night under the lights. (NT) -- ramMan, 19:44:07 02/01/05 Tue
The football teams do practice on the field on Friday, but we only have five or six home games. As for soccer, we don't play at home every Friday. We just won't be scheduling home soccer matches on Fridays when we have a home football game the next day. (NT) -- JoltinJoe, 22:25:36 02/01/05 Tue

Another option: the soccer teams could play their games on their current home field, Eddie�s Parade, on the Fridays before football games. (NT) -- ramMan, 23:09:34 02/01/05 Tue

You mean that they will have to apply & remove logos/lines after each game? That should be interesting... Will Frank himself drive the "zamboni"?? (NT) Ram1 19:28:28 02/01/05 Tue

Not sure about the Zamboni *LOL*, but the answer to your other question is yes. I was told that�s how it�s done at Giants Stadium and that�s how it will be done at Coffey Field. Re logos/insignia, the contractor told me their application is optional, but Fordham will have the necessary equipment to do it. (NT) -- ramMan, 19:54:12 02/01/05 Tue

I strongly recommend that Fordham keep the "zamboni" under lock and key. The practical joke potential for such a device is significant (not that I'm openly advocating students engage in this sort of thing or anything). Having said that, if only Fordham had this device when I was an undergrad! (NT) -- DamnRam, 10:14:50 02/02/05 Wed

ramMan, excellent work finding out all this information. You are indeed *the* man! If we schedule smart we can set up most weekends so that both football and men's soccer are not at home on the same weekend. It is my understanding that the women's soccer will continue to play their games on Edwards Parade as Coach Selmani is not big on the turf idea. In essence he is a bit of a purist and feels soccer should be played on grass on a regulation sized field. I could be wrong about that, but that was my understanding at least. (NT) J�Dete93 16:20:13 02/02/05 Wed

Wherever they play, I just hope we don't have a repeat of having the ambulance stuck in the mud while trying to transport an injured player. (NT) -- Ram '91, 19:20:08 02/02/05 Wed

One other thing I learned about FieldTurf yesterday: there�s a variety of temporary paints used to apply field markings on it. Some of them are long lasting but difficult to remove; others are less durable but easily erased. My guess is the least durable paint will be used to apply the football markings on Jack Coffey Field so that they can be quickly removed to prepare the field for Sunday soccer games. (cont. below) (NT) ramMan 16:37:54 02/02/05 Wed

At the end of this message is a link to an aerial photo of Giants Stadium with football markings on the field. My guess is (I hope) this is how Coffey Field will look on game day except there�d be a block �F� painted on the center of the field (instead of the Jets logo) and �Fordham� in one end zone and �Rams� in the other (instead of �Jets�). -- Click here (NT) -- ramMan, 16:39:30 02/02/05 Wed
To see what the Giants Stadium field looks like with soccer markings on it, click on the link at the end of this message, type in the Keyword �Giants�, click the Begin Search button, then click on the second check mark beneath �Photo�. There are four pictures on the page (three soccer, one football). -- Click here (NT) -- ramMan, 16:41:50 02/02/05 Wed

Great work, ramMan, this information should have been easily available from the department when the decisions about the field were finalized. However, I can just see one of our offensive lineman standing next to a groundskeeper and saying, "That's great. But who are the Roms?" (NT) Ram '91 19:16:49 02/02/05 Wed

LOL. Love the post.... I think frank, julio & jeff gray should armwrestle each week to see which one will ride the 'zamboni '& paint the lines... (NT) -- Ram1, 19:32:49 02/03/05 Thu

One thing's for sure, they'll keep the paint within the lines. They can't think outside the box. (NT) -- Hey now!, 21:17:06 02/03/05 Thu

Maybe if we use the zamboni to paint "Frank Must Go!" in big letters on Coffey somebody there will get the hint? (NT) -- Mayday Mayday, 10:10:13 02/04/05 Fri