After 26 seasons of natural grass, Folsom Field is set for a major makeover. The University of Colorado’s athletics department initiated the installation of artificial turf, and the project reached completion two days ago. This development also ensures that Deion Sanders and company will play on the new surface starting in the upcoming 2025 season.
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The field previously featured turf from 1971 to 1998, during some of Colorado’s most successful eras in program history. This also included their 1990 national championship season, which is a memorable feat for any Colorado fan. However, Folsom Field was switched back to natural grass in 1999, where it remained same until being replaced once again with artificial turf this year.
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 significant revenue opportunity and has previously hosted such events in July.
Additionally, Howell noted that the change was necessary to meet requirements for hosting a College Football Playoff game in Boulder during December.
“And the big reason is they can host concerts at Folsom Field. As you guys know, with the way college sports is 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. 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 vs. 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 Deion Sanders effect, the university still needs additional income streams—this is where concert plans could play a key role.
Moreover, artists like Lil Wayne are close friends with Deion Sanders, which could open the door for Colorado to request their participation in holding concerts if needed. And for Colorado, paying Deion Sanders is one of their top priorities.
Notably, Coach Prime’s $54 million contract extension includes a major salary increase, with his annual base salary set to rise from $10 million in 2025 to $11 million in 2027 and 2028, and reaching $12 million in 2029.
It is clear that the University of Colorado needs to generate more revenue to tackle their 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.
