In recent years, America's football-mad public has been treated to the novelty of blue football fields, red football fields and even purple and gray striped playing surfaces. Yet never before has a team had the unorthodox temerity to unveil an all-black football field … until now.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the West Salem (Ore.) High Black Hole, the new home turf of the West Salem football team.

 

As reported by the Statesman-Journal, the Black Hole was officially unveiled on Friday, when South Medford (Ore.) High visited the Titans for both teams' season opener. The field is believed to be the only black field in use in outdoor football in the country; as noted by Off the Bench, the Nebraska Danger of the Indoor Football League also host their games on a 50-yard black field.

 

"It never dawned on me that it would mean as much to this community as it does," West Salem athletic director Bryan Sutherland told the Statesman-Journal. "From what we understand it's the only black field in the country. That's really taken off over here."

 

Amazingly, pure novelty and fan excitement weren't the primary motivating factors behind West Salem's choice of black for a field color. Rather, the school was offered a price break of nearly $150,000 if it installed a black field rather than a green one, with those savings reflected in FieldTurf Inc.'s ability to avoid having to use dyed synthetic turf in its installation.

 

Oregon school unveils the

You would have to be in a cold weather state to do that. I am not a fan of these fields. Give me my green turf and let me enjoy the game.

I bet in the summer months that field will radiate some serious heat. I know it's Oregon, and doesn't get quite as hot as other parts of the country, but still.. Green turf gets hot, Can't imagine how hot a black turf field will get..

Definitely makes sense from an economical standpoint. $150,000 savings because they didn't need to dye the turf? Wow! That kind of savings would be hard to turn down. I hadn't thought about the radiation of heat off of it though. Wonder what the temperature difference is between black and green turf...

I prefer green, but the temperature worries are the only reason I wouldn't necessarily like this. From a visual standpoint, I like it waaaay better than the ugly blue and red fields we've seen.

I personally like the way the Boise St blue turf looks.. I absolutely hate the red. Overall, I am not a fan of turf, no matter what color. I would much rather play on grass any day.

Just a personal preference I guess. I don't find the blue turf aesthetically pleasing. The red turf is an offense against God and must not be allowed to exist.

The colored turf makes my stomach hurt watching games on it.

Just looked up the average temperatures for Salem Oregon for the months of July and August, and they show mid to high 80's. So im going to guess that this black turf will have a triple digit heat index on multiple occasions.. No thanks!

As far as looks, it ain't that bad, maybe even better than green. I like the contrast. I agree with others, I hate the blue or red fields, that hurts my eyes.

 

Rather have black than any color other than green. Of course, used to seeing brown grass in NKY during the summer anyway.

Definitely makes sense from an economical standpoint. $150,000 savings because they didn't need to dye the turf? Wow! That kind of savings would be hard to turn down.

 

That is why this makes the most sense of the non green turf, as long as the climate is right.

At first, I thought I was looking at a black and white photo.

I like it.

I like it.

 

Me too, but I feel we're in the vast majority on this one.