Synthetic FieldTurf will be installed in Notre Dame Stadium for the 2014 football season, Notre Dame announced during Saturday’s Blue-Gold game.
The FieldTurf will be installed following Commencement Weekend (May 16-18), and Notre Dame anticipates an Aug. 15 completion date, the University said.
Although the University wanted to stick with a grass field if possible, each year’s commencement events and impending construction for the Campus Crossroads Project would make natural grass difficult to maintain, according to the press release.
“We had a strong predisposition to stay with a natural grass field,” Notre Dame Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick said in the statement. “However, the reality is that in two of the last three seasons since we moved Commencement to the Stadium, we have been unable to produce an acceptable playing surface. That, combined with the likely impacts of future construction at the Stadium, led me to conclude that we would continue to struggle to maintain a grass field that meets the expectations of our student-athletes and fans as it relates to appearance, performance and safety.”
The Irish already practice on synthetic turf at the LaBar Practice Complex and the Loftus Sports Center.
Notre Dame is also in the process of installing synthetic turf at the baseball field, Frank Eck Stadium.
