Tucson Standard

The worn turf at Arizona Stadium is scheduled to be replaced with a new, synthetic surface before the start of the Wildcats' 2022 football season, according to Tucson.com.

The new surface, which will be installed by May, is expected to be usable by early August when the Wildcats report to training camp.

Dave Heeke, the University of Arizona (UA) athletic director, said the university had considered returning to a grass field but chose to stay with artificial turf because it is less costly to maintain.

"We evaluated both grass and turf; the grass is a really significant overhaul, and you have challenges with that seasonally," Heeke said. "There are limitations when you put grass in; there’s significant upkeep and costs with grass surfaces."

The new surface is reportedly better technologically than its predecessor and should be less demanding on players' joints and less hot under the heat of the southern Arizona sun.

"It's improved so much over these last eight to 10 years," Heeke said, as reported by Tucson.com. "The performance and safety levels are so much better than they were."

Heeke added that both he and his staff will "continue to talk through" further specifics of the field's design. They have a general idea in mind, such as the grass being green and displaying UA colors, as well as incorporating the "Bear Down" theme, Tucson.com said.

The price of the new surface is estimated to be over $1 million, according to UA's planning, design, and construction website, which projects a budget of $1.4 million.

Heeke said that the new surface will be entirely funded by the athletics operations budget.