Once again, a patch of blue Boise turf is voted dreamier than this field, halls of fame
For the second straight year, a USA Today public poll has ended with Boise State’s blue turf at Albertsons Stadium being voted as the Best Attraction for Sports Fans.
Fondly known around college football as The Blue or Smurf Turf, Boise State’s blue field beat out some of the most iconic venues in American sports, including the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Iowa and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
The nominees for the Top 10 list are selected by a USA Today panel before being voted on by readers.
The Broncos’ blue turf was first installed in 1986. The university trademarked it in 2011, meaning Boise State has common-law trademark rights to non-green turf for intercollegiate sporting events. This means Boise State is permitted to evaluate and approve proposed nontraditionally colored fields, including the location, proposed use and even the school making the request.
For that reason, the Broncos’ blue field is one of just a few colored football fields in the college world, apparently making it a must-see for any fan. Eastern Washington’s red turf and Coastal Carolina’s teal turf are other notable fields.
Whether it’s the home crowd or the spectacle of the blue field, which wowed college football viewers when it came onto the scene, the Broncos have been historically good on The Blue, too. Boise State has gone 208-45 at home since 1986, an 82% win ratio. In 16 of those seasons, the Broncos have been undefeated at home.
See what other iconic locations Boise State’s blue turf beat out in USA Today’s Best Attraction for Sports Fans in America poll:
Boise State’s Blue Turf
U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum - Colorado Springs, Colorado
Kentucky Derby Museum - Louisville, Kentucky
College Football Hall of Fame - Atlanta, Georgia
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory - Louisville
Savannah Bananas - Savannah, Georgia
Field of Dreams Movie Site - Dyersville, Iowa
Pro Football Hall of Fame - Canton, Ohio
California Surf Museum - Oceanside, California
Lake Placid Olympic Center - Lake Placid, New York
