New High School Turf Dubbed 'The Black Hole'

In the past five years, we've seen blue turf and red turf installed at high school stadiums - and don't forget about the new candy cane turf at the University of Lindenwood-Belleville. Now, West Salem (Ore.) High School has added to the rainbow of turf colors with what is thought to be the only outdoor black football field in the country - although the Indoor Football League's Nebraska Danger plays on a black field, too. And, following the West Salem field's Friday night debut, it reportedly already has a nickname: "The Black Hole."

According to Salem's Statesman Journal, a group that included West Salem principal Ed John and football coach Shawn Stanley spearheaded a fundraising drive that generated $437,000 - including donations from four major local sponsors whose logos are sewn into the home sideline of the field - to replace the school's worn-out 10-year-old green FieldTurf with black FieldTurf. But because the Montreal-based manufacturer offered a discount if West Salem opted for a nontraditional color, the total price tag was closer to $300,000.

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