The famous blue turf at Albertsons Stadium, home to Boise State University football, will be replaced later this year with a new playing surface after receiving permission from Idaho’s Permanent Building Fund Advisory Council.
The new artificial turf will remain its distinctive Bronco blue color, which was the first non-green playing surface when it was first introduced in 1986.
According to a report by the Idaho Statesman, the turf, which is currently showing signs of wear and mis-shapen sidelines, will be refreshed after spring practice and ready in time for the start of fall practice before the 2019 season.
The new surface will be cover a greater area than before, with it expanding an extra 8-12ft (2.5-3.6m) onto the track that used to surround the field. It is estimated that the overall cost to replace the iconic turf will range from US$600,000 to US$1m.
The last time the field was replaced was in 2010 and it is estimated artificial turf lasts approximately 8-10 years.
“It’s needed,” said Curt Apsey, Boise State Athletic director, in the report. “We’re not just doing it to do it. It’s near the end of the usual lifespan.”
Turf specialist FieldTurf is contracted to install the turf along with Boise-based McAlvain Construction, beating out other bids from Hellas Construction, AstroTurf and Sprinturf. FieldTurf has been involved with replacing the blue turf at Albertsons Stadium in the past.
