Marching 100 getting new turf practice field

Work is nearing completion on the FAMU Marching 100’s new state-of-the-art synthetic turf practice field.  Workers began installing the new surface late last week and should be completed by the first of the month.
 
As many may have noticed, the Marching 100 has been “field surfing” since the start of the 2021 football/band season, depending upon how you look at it, using whatever open field they could find.  The band has split time practicing on the football practice field and the Bragg Stadium field, alternating with the Rattler football team, and even using the recreation center turf field on occasion.

The band practice field will have its own regulation sized synthetic turf field, with accurate filed markings.  No longer, will band members have to dodge potholes, uneven field surfaces and risk injury, or muddy swap like conditions after a Florida rain storm. 

The new surface will be come with a state-of-the-art drainage system, and be level. 
 

The field was manufactured and installed by FieldTurf, a Canada-based company with a manufacturing facility in Georgia that handles similar projects nationwide and internationally.

There is still some detail work to be completed. Workers were busy this week cutting and sewing in the yard marker numbers and adding tiny rubber pellets for cushioning to get it ready.  

The surface costs roughly $520,000, and makes the Marching 100 one of a hand full of college marching bands nationwide to have its own artificial turf practice field.