LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech will continue to improve one of the top baseball facilities in the country with nearly $1 million in renovations to Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt announced the upcoming projects were fully-funded and ready to begin construction on Nov. 13 during a news conference updating fans on The Campaign for Fearless Champions.
As part of the project, Texas Tech will replace its current video board with the one that previously occupied Jones AT&T Stadium while also installing a new FieldTurf playing surface. Both projects are scheduled to be completed prior to the start of the 2016 season.
“The expanded video board and new playing field will greatly enhance what is already one of the top baseball facilities in the country,” Hocutt said. “Part of our goal with The Campaign for Fearless Champions is to continue to provide our fans with the best game-day experiences possible, and this new video board will help us to deliver on that promise.”
Following the renovations, Texas Tech will boast one of the largest video boards in college baseball as the screen size will double from 15-by-20 feet to 48-by-22 feet. The video board will encompass the entire width of the current scoreboard.
In addition to the video board project, Texas Tech will also replace its entire playing surface. Construction crews have already begun work on installing the FieldTurf surface in anticipation for Texas Tech’s start of spring practices in January. The video board project is slated to begin in early December.
“These enhancements to Rip Griffin Park can’t be understated, and doing both projects at once says a lot about Texas Tech’s commitment to our student-athletes and fans,” Texas Tech head coach Tim Tadlock said. “The new FieldTurf surface being installed on Dan Law Field is an incredible investment in our student-athletes safety and performance, and it will also be a big selling point as we continue to recruit future Red Raiders here to Texas Tech.”
The current video board at Rip Griffin Park was purchased prior to the 2004 season while the FieldTurf surface on Dan Law Field was installed in 2007. Both projects will add to the amenities at the stadium that were upgraded in 2012 when new luxury suites, chair-back seats and a press box area were added.
The current projects have been funded privately through philanthropic contributions and gifts to The Campaign for Fearless Champions.
The Campaign for Fearless Champions is part of Hocutt’s bold vision for the future growth of Texas Tech Athletics. With an initiative of raising $160 million, the campaign will enhance athletic facilities, invest in scholarship endowments and grow the Fearless Champions Leadership Academy. Gifts to The Campaign for Fearless Champions have already funded 13 of 25 planned facility projects that include improvements to Jones AT&T Stadium and United Supermarkets Arena.
The campaign’s current priority is raising the remaining $3.8 million needed to begin construction on the Sports Performance Center by March 1. The $48 million, multi-use building includes indoor facilities for track and football. It also boasts new nutrition and strength and conditioning centers that will be used by student-athletes in all sports, including baseball.
Texas Tech will have both projects on full display on Feb. 19 when the Red Raiders open the 2016 season with a four-game series against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The full 2016 schedule will be announced Wednesday.
