Colorado Insider Explains Why Folsom Field Switched to Artificial Turf to Help Pay $25M for Deion Sanders and Buffs Players

After 26 seasons of natural grass, Folsom Field is set for artificial turf. The University of Colorado’s athletics department’s installation project was completed two days ago. This quick turnaround ensures Deion Sanders and company will play on the new surface in the upcoming 2025 season.

The field previously featured turf from 1971 to 1998, which coincided with some of the most successful eras in Colorado’s football program history. This also included their 1990 national championship season. However, Folsom Field was switched to natural grass in 1999.

Speaking about the change, Colorado insider Brian Howell told 365 Sports that the main reason for switching to turf is the university’s plan to host musical concerts during off weeks. He explained that Colorado views concerts as a significant revenue opportunity. They had hosted such events last July. There is a game-related reason, too.

“And the big reason is they can host concerts at Folsom Field. As you guys know, with the way college sports are changing, they’ve got to come up with money to pay the players. And frankly, they’ve got to come up with money to pay Coach Prime,” said Howell.

Additionally, Howell noted that the change was necessary to meet requirements for hosting a College Football Playoff game in Boulder during December. But the revenue-generating potential seems to be the primary factor.

“Between the $20.5 million to pay the players and another $5 million a year to Coach Prime, that’s $25 million a year CU’s never had to pay before. This allows them to host concerts, it’s not going to tear up the grass, and they can’t play a football game a week later,” Howell explained.

Following the House v. NCAA settlement, programs like Colorado now face a salary-cap-like ceiling of $21 million for athlete compensation. While Colorado can rely on increased broadcasting and ticket revenue thanks to the Sanders effect, the university still needs additional income streams. This is where concert plans come in.

Artists like Lil Wayne are close friends with Sanders, which could open the door for Colorado to request their participation in holding concerts if needed. Then comes the matter of meeting Sanders’ hefty paycheck.

Coach Prime’s $54 million contract extension includes a major salary increase. His annual base salary is set to rise from $10 million in 2025 to $11 million in 2027 and 2028 and reach $12 million in 2029. 

The University of Colorado needs to generate more revenue to tackle its expenses. By following the example of venues like AT&T Stadium and SoFi Stadium, they aim to turn Folsom Field into a multi-purpose sportainment venue to address their growing financial needs.