Build It Right - Fall 2022, Issue 2

Build It Right

The American Sports Builders Association, a non-profit trade association comprised of builders, designers and suppliers for sports facilities, exists to promote the highest standards of design, construction and maintenance.

ASBA Chairman

David Clapp, CTB, CTCB

ASBA Executive Director

Fred Stringfellow, CAE

Editor

Mary Helen Sprecher

2331 Rock Spring Road

Forest Hill, MD 21050

Tel: 443-640-1042 Fax: 443-640-1031 Email: info@sportsbuilders.org

Build It Right is a publication of the American Sports Builders Association © 2022. All Rights Reserved. For more information or to order additional copies, contact the ASBA headquarters office. Unless otherwise noted, all images are copyright ASBA and their respective owners. Unless otherwise noted, all articles are copyright ASBA. Direct requests for reprint to the ASBA headquarters office. The American Sports Builders Association prints Build It Right to provide its members and other interested parties in the sports design, construction and supply profession with a forum for the discussion of topics of interest to the entire industry. The ideas and opinions expressed in Build It Right are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the view, positions or policies of ASBA, its members, its board of directors, officers or staff. ASBA is not responsible for any claims made in any advertisements, and does not endorse any manufacturer, supplier or vendor. ASBA does not warrant the performance of any member or member employee or subcontractor.

Some images and content art © Adobe Stock Images, Pixabay, Unsplash and Pexels

Most readers of this magazine live in the contiguous 48 states. As such, you most likely have a robust and vibrant change of the seasons, year in and year out. Au tumn, in particular, is probably my favorite season. The oppressive humidity of the Tennessee summer abates, and we are greeted most mornings by a cool dry breeze which portends of winter’s arrival in a few short months.

But life, in many ways, is timed out by sea sons. We have a daily schedule, a weekly schedule, and in a larger sense, a yearly schedule which follows the seasons pretty regularly. Winter is a time for reduced outdoor activity and short days. Summer is a time for increased outdoor activity and long days. Our sports construction world follows this pattern very predictably.

Just as we as individuals follow the sea sons, so too, in a real sense, does ASBA. But ASBA follows a different calendar than do our construction projects. ASBA, for the most part, lays dormant during the summer months while all the members are engrossed in their projects. But like a hibernating bear waking from its winter slumber, ASBA reawakens in fall for a busy winter. It will begin with the Technical Meeting in Palm Desert this year in early December.

This year’s Technical Meeting is show

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

David Clapp, CTB, CTCB

ing strong pre-registration numbers, so attendance should be good and there is excellent technical content on tap for this year’s program. In February 2023, ASBA will be offering a post-tension concrete workshop in concert with the Post-Tensioning Institute, and attendees will receive PTI certification.

Lastly, we will be having our 2023 Winter Meeting in March down in Cancun, Mex ico. This is a little later than we usually conduct the winter meeting but this is a meeting which we had to reschedule due to the cancelation of our in-person winter meeting in winter of ’21.

I hope you can find time in your schedule to participate in some of the activities ASBA will be offering over these next several months. ★

Sincerely, David Clapp David Clapp, CTB, CTCB

Each year, ASBA authors articles focus ing on sports facilities. These include construction, maintenance and repair, and are carried in publications including the following:

• Coach & Athletic Director

• Athletic Administrator (published by the NIAAA)

• Racquet Sports Industry

• Parks & Rec Business

• SportsField Management

• Track Coach Magazine (pub lished by USA Track & Field)

• Techniques (published by the American Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association)

Other publications ASBA has appeared in previously include Common Ground, TennisView, Camp Business, Parks & Recreation, Athletic Business, Sports Destination Management and more.

Articles are incredibly well-received by publications, as well as by readers. For ex ample, ASBA’s most recent article on field traffic and usage, published in SportsField Management, rated as one of the top-tenmost read. And Parks & Rec Business has featured our articles on the covers of the magazine several times.

In addition to covering design, construc tion and maintenance, ASBA’s technical articles cover facilities for trending sports, such as quadball (formerly quidditch), flag football, cricket, disc golf, beach volleyball and snow volleyball.

HEADLINE NEWS

ASBA’s Technical Articles: Helping Raise the Association’s Profile (and Yours Too!)

Mary Helen Sprecher

The goal with writing articles is multifac eted. ASBA wants to educate readers on sports facility construction, maintenance and repair. The more information the As sociation can make available (including

ASBA’s publications, diagram app, etc.), the better the chance is that readers will look to ASBA for their information needs, rather than going to Google and looking up “how to build a beach volleyball court” for example.

Additionally, ASBA wants readers to un derstand the wealth of information its members possess. Articles are meant to encourage readers to go to the ASBA website, and to find the design profession als, contractors and suppliers they need. But articles also serve another purpose. When our members are quoted in them, readers see their names and the names of their companies – something that also can lead to business. (Note: If you’re not being quoted by us, please send your contact information to our technical writ er, Mary Helen Sprecher, at maryhelen@ sportsbuilders.org). Oh, and one more benefit – many articles are illustrated with images of award-winning facilities from ASBA’s awards program.

ASBA’s articles touch on facilities relevant to all divisions: Courts, Tracks, Fields –indoor and outdoor, design professionals and suppliers included. In 2022, at the time of this writing, ASBA had published more than 25 articles – and had more waiting to be published.

Thanks to all those who have provided their quotes to articles; your insights make articles more valuable, interesting and readable by those in the industry. ★

AstroTurf Corporation. 2680 Abutment Rd, Dalton, GA 30721 (800) 723-TURF help@astroturf.com www.astroturf.com @AstroTurfUSA

HEADLINE NEWS

New and Improved: ASBA’s Website

Mary Helen Sprecher

If you haven’t been to ASBA’s website recently, you haven’t seen the latest improvements. Designed to make the site more accessible and easier to navigate and use, these changes will improve the user experience.

So, what’s new? Here’s a recap:

Home Page: When you go to www.sportsbuilders.org, you can access all the information you need – plus you have the ability to see the latest news and articles where the Association is featured. You can catch up on upcoming events and see the latest posts on social media as well.

Division Resources: The pages for each membership division (Courts, Tracks and Fields) have undergone a refresh. You’ll find the information you need much more easily. In addition, each division’s page has a list of specific resources, such as publications, position papers, technical articles and ASTM standards. It is also easy to locate certified builders in each division.

Membership: Our membership page has been updated and includes useful information explaining the benefits of ASBA membership.

Programs: Want to learn all about ASBA’s programs? Now, all that information is in one place, and can be accessed using the top blue toolbar. Information on the following has been overhauled:

• Certification: Now easier than ever to navigate and use, this section includes not only information about the application process but about scheduling and preparing for the exam – as well as details on recertification.

• Awards: This section has been reimagined with easy-to-navigate information on official rules, application, details of the judging pro cess – and even some FAQs.

• Updated and revamped information on e-learning, and sponsorship and more can be found in the Programs section.

Technical Meeting Promo: Click on the promo box on the home page and you’ll be able to access all the information on the Technical Meeting from the new microsite.

Build It Right: Under the News tab at the top of the page, you can access the latest issue of ASBA’s new magazine, Build It Right. You can also submit member news, make sure you’re subscribed and even find out about advertising opportunities.

ASBA is always seeking ways to improve the experience of those who use our website. This won’t be the last time you hear about changes, updates and other great news. ★

INDUSTRY VIEWS

An Interview with Dr. Christopher Parker

Industry Views is a regular column in Build It Right, featuring an interview with an industry partner whose work is helping to drive evolution. Have a suggestion for someone to interview? E-mail our editor at maryhelen@sportsbuilders.org.

While much of the focus in collegiate sport often falls on NCAA, it is in another organization, the National Junior College Athletic Association, that we have an ex cellent window into the arena of collegiate sports and where they are headed.

The NJCAA is the second-largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States with over 500 member schools in 44 states. Each year, over 3,400 teams compete in 28 different sports across multiple divisions in the NJCAA and the organization sponsors 53 nation al championship events and sanctioned football bowl games.

The NJCAA has also been active in pro moting emerging sports (esports, beach volleyball and flag football are just some examples), and some of those are spurring member schools to build new facilities or buy new equipment. ASBA sat down with Dr. Christopher Parker, President and CEO of NJCAA, to talk about what is on the horizon.

American Sports Builders Association: NJCAA added women’s beach volleyball as a full-time varsity sport in 2019, the first sport added to the association since half marathon and women’s lacrosse in 2003-2004. What has happened since that time?

Dr. Christopher Parker: A lot – beach volleyball will host its first invitational this year but since we added it, we’ve also added women’s flag football, co-ed target shooting, co-ed cheer, men’s volleyball and women’s wrestling.

American Sports Builders Association: Have students embraced them?

Dr. Christopher Parker: Yes – I would say that women’s wrestling, men’s volleyball, women’s flag and beach volleyball are the closest to having their own national championships. In fact, we may have a women’s wrestling championship this year, rather than just having an invitational.

American Sports Builders Association: What was the growth trajectory on those sports?

Dr. Christopher Parker: Women’s wres tling really took off. We got a grant from NFL Flag to help grow the women’s flag football program, and another grant from First Point Volleyball Foundation to help grow the men’s sport.

American Sports Builders Association: Sounds like that would be a great draw for schools. Is there scholarship money?

Dr. Christopher Parker: There is scholar ship money for all our sports. It’s a great opportunity for schools to recruit athletes.

American Sports Builders Association: What has been the affect on sports fa cilities at the NJCAA member level? Are you seeing more need for construction or purchasing of equipment?

Dr. Christopher Parker: In many cases, we’re seeing opportunities for schools to use what they already have – a gym or a football field, for example. But in the case of women’s beach volleyball, we’re seeing a burst of new facilities.

American Sports Builders Association: NJCAA also offers esports, and unlike NCAA, has adopted them on a full-time basis.

Dr. Christopher Parker: Yes, NJCAA Esports (NJCAAE) is now the national governing body for two-year college esports in the United States. It is its own separate 501(C)(3) organization, it has its own set of rules and its own governance, and it manages its own competitions. It was first offered in fall of 2019, but it grew a lot in COVID, since it allowed schools to compete with one another.

American Sports Builders Association: How many schools are offering it?

Dr. Christopher Parker: It’s growing really well. We started with 60 schools offering programs and we’re now up to 175.

American Sports Builders Association: Overall, what kinds of trends are you seeing in sports?

Dr. Christopher Parker: We have seen 20 schools add sports programs; these are schools that have never had an athletic department before. Then, about 50 of our schools that already offered sports have added at least one sport; the two that are added the most often are soccer and cross country.

American Sports Builders Association: Is track & field popular as well?

Dr. Christopher Parker: Yes, schools have teams of varying sizes, from 30 student

President and Chief Executive Officer, National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

athletes to 150. If you look at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, for example, they have an enormous roster.

American Sports Builders Association: Nationwide, there are a lot of non-tradi tional sports that are gaining participants, like bass fishing. Does NJCAA sponsor programs there?

Dr. Christopher Parker: We don’t – bass fishing is a lot like rodeo. We know there is strong participation, but we also know there are good organizations (Bassmaster and the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, for example) that are already offering competitions for students, so we are concentrating on other sports.

American Sports Builders Association: Do you think you’ll be adding other sports in the future?

Dr. Christopher Parker: I think the possi bilities and the opportunities will contin ue to evolve. The quality of our student athletes as well as the programs that the schools are offering have both remained very strong.

American Sports Builders Association: It sounds like NJCAA’s strategy is working really well.

Dr. Christopher Parker: Exactly. We’re not saying we are the best option for every student athlete, but we do offer some thing unique. Students can stay at home, save some money, take good classes and move on from there, all while playing the sports they love. We present a very good opportunity for them. ★

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FEATURED ARTICLES

Paradigm Shift in High School Sports Participation

Mary Helen Sprecher

9, 8, 6) may well result in a demand for more fields.

Also in Girls’ Sports News: Volleyball continued its rise in popularity and was the only top 10 sport to register an increase from three years ago. With 454,153 par ticipants, volleyball is only 2,500 partic ipants behind track and field for the No. 1 participatory sport for girls. In addition, the emerging sport of girls’ sand/beach volleyball increased from 2,237 to 6,489 participants.

Insights for ASBA: Look for increased demand for sand/beach facilities at the high school level.

Following two years of being unable to collect sports participation data (thanks for nothing, COVID), NFHS has released its first official report since the school year 2018-19. The findings give us some excel lent insights for sports facility designers, contractors and suppliers.

Golf is Up: Golf, like tennis, flourished during quarantine so it is not terribly sur prising that student athletes are bringing their skills to schools. Among the top 10 boys sports in participants from 2018-19, golf was the only sport to register an increase – up just under four percent with 148,585 participants and surpassing tennis as the eighth-most popular sport. Golf was one of the few sports to increase on both sides of the ledger as girls participation was up one percent to 80,829 participants.

Insights for ASBA: While the construction of more golf facilities is likely a long-term product of this growth, it is likely that schools may be putting in driving ranges

(and netting to contain balls) on school ground to allow students to practice.

Football is Big News: While boys 11-player football was down three percent (1,006,013 to 973,792) – less than the overall survey average of four percent – participation in 6-, 8- and 9-player football registered a 12 percent increase – from 31,221 to 34,935. (The number of schools offering 6-, 8- and 9-player football programs also rose).

Gain by Girls Playing Football Were Even Greater: In all four versions of the game (11, 9, 8, 6), girls’ participation increased 39 percent from the 2018-19 survey – 2,604 to 3,633. Additionally, the increase in girls’ flag football was 40 percent – 11,209 to 15,716 participants. (Note: Women’s Flag Football is an Emerging Sport at the NAIA level).

Insights for ASBA: While girls’ flag football is typically played in the spring so as not to create a drain on the same facilities, the rise in other forms of the game (11,

In addition to flag football, girls wrestling continued its recent surge in popularity with a 50 percent increase since 2018-19, moving from 21,124 to 31,654 participants. A total of 32 states now offers separate state wrestling championships for girls.

Among other girls top 10 sports, soc cer moved ahead of basketball to No. 3 behind track & field and volleyball, with softball remaining fifth. Cross country, swimming and diving, and competitive spirit registered the biggest declines the past three years among top 10 sports with 13-percent drops.

Baseball Stayed Strong: Beyond golf, baseball experienced the best showing among top 10 boys’ sports from the 201819 survey with a decrease of only 1,736 –482,740 to 481,004 – and remained fourth in popularity behind football, outdoor track and field, and basketball.

Also Newsworthy: In boys’ top-10 sports, wrestling nudged cross country for sixth place – going from 231,874 participants to 231,387. Wrestling was down six percent

Photo by Courtney Cook on Unsplash

from the previous survey while cross coun try had the biggest decline at 14 percent.

Look at What Else Grew in Boys’ Sports: Other boys sports outside the top 10 that experienced significant gains from 2018-19 were volleyball (up 4.6 percent) and bass fishing (10,626 participants). While USA Volleyball has been trying to grow the boys’ game for some time, this has just started to be reflected in the number of participants. Fishing exploded during the pandemic, and with more competitions for high school students, and more colleges offering bass fishing scholarship money, it is likely this trend will continue.

United Sports: The 2021-22 survey showed a dramatic rise in Unified sports participation. With only 5,541 combined participants from 10 states in 2018-19, this year’s survey indicated 47,909 com bined participants in almost 20 states. The survey also indicated another 7,689 combined participants in Adapted sports. The 55,598 combined participants in Uni fied and Adapted sports represents a 163 percent increase from three years ago.

This year’s survey indicated participation by high school students in 69 different sports, as well as 16 Adapted sports and 16 Unified sports. In addition to those pre viously noted, some of the more popular other sports (combined participation num bers) were bowling (57,219), field hockey (56,091), ice hockey (42,092), water polo (37,379) and weightlifting (25,257).

Worth Noting: NFHS stated that esports was the fastest growing high school sports, reaching student populations that had pre viously been untapped by extracurricular programs of any kind, creating larger, more inclusive campus communities and more successful students.

Insights for ASBA: Look for this trend to continue and expect more inquiries from schools about setting up designated areas for practices and competitions, since colleges are now offering scholarship funding to gamers. ★

FEATURED ARTICLES

The Game Changer: Snow Volleyball

Mary Helen Sprecher

Volleyball has been a game changer for years. The sport, long a fixture on the indoor circuit, hit TV screens in the Olym pics in 1996 with the beach discipline, and exponential growth followed, particularly at the collegiate level. The grass surface version of the game, meanwhile, has been a club and tournament staple (not to men tion a favorite at picnics and in backyards).

So, what’s next? The snow game. That’s right – volleyball is taking it outside for the winter months. This 3x3 version of the game is expected to experience a steady, continuous growth within the USA in the years to come; the FIVB hopes this will lead to its inclusion in the Winter Olympic Games, like the path taken by beach in the 1990s as it worked toward becoming a podium sport at the Summer Games. The indicators are good. There’s already a strong tour in Europe with plenty of interest and plenty of spectators. The USA is a force on the international circuit since many athletes on the beach circuit are spending winter on the snow tour.

Stateside, the sport is expected to grow at the municipal (park and rec) level, as well as at college clubs – in both cases, in destinations with consistent snowfall throughout the winter. USA Volleyball is also encouraging domestic ski resorts to install snow volleyball courts near slope side bars and restaurants, where casual play can take place – and be seen.

Want to approach some local ski hills, colleges or parks with the idea of put ting down courts? According to the FIVB Snow Volleyball Rules, the following court dimensions and guidelines are in effect for the game.

Playing Area: The playing area includes the playing court and the free zone. It must be rectangular and symmetrical. The playing court is a rectangle measuring 16m x 8m (52-1/2 ft. x 26 ft.), surrounded by a free zone, which is a minimum of 2m (6-1/2 ft.) wide on all sides.

Playing Surface: The surface must be composed of snow, as flat and uniform as

possible, free of rocks and anything else which can cause injuries to the players. For FIVB, World and Official Competitions, the snow must be at least 30cm (12 in.) deep. However, weather must not present a danger to players.

Court Lines: All lines are 5cm (2 in.) wide. The color of the lines should contrast sharply with the snow. Two side lines and two end lines mark the playing court. There is no center line. Both side and end lines are placed inside the dimensions of the playing court. Court lines should be ribbons made of a resistant material, and any exposed anchors should be of a soft, flexible material.

For full dimensions, find the rules on the FIVB site at the address of www.fivb.com/ en/snowvolleyball/forms. ★

Photo Courtesy of USA Volleyball

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Let’s connect (booth #406) at the upcoming 2022 ASBA Technical Meeting. Where we’ll share why your next ballfield project should start with Beacon.

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FEATURED ARTICLES

Meet the Fields that Will Host FIFA 2026

Mary Helen Sprecher

When, over the summer, FIFA finally an nounced its choice of cities and facilities to host the 2026 World Cup, a joint pro duction by Canada, Mexico and the USA, it was a big deal to soccer fans, who wanted to know where play would occur.

But when it comes to ASBA, it’s not always about the city – it’s about the facility and (of course) the surface. The information presented below was accurate at the time of writing, but it is not out of the scope of possibility that cities are kicking around plans for renovations (including different surfaces).

Western Facilities

Vancouver, British Columbia: BC Place

Expected to host: Round of 16 Surface: Synthetic Turf

Seattle, Washington: Lumen Field

Expected to host: Quarterfinal, third-place game Surface: Synthetic Turf

San Francisco, California: Levi’s Stadium

Expected to host: Semifinal Surface: Natural Grass

Los Angeles, California: SoFi Stadium

Expected to host: Unknown at this time Surface: Synthetic Turf

Guadalajara, Mexico: Estadio Akron

Expected to host: Round of 16 Surface: Natural Grass

Central and Midwest Facilities

Kansas City, Missouri: Arrowhead Stadium

Expected to host: Quarterfinal, third-round game Surface: Natural Grass

Atlanta, Georgia: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Expected to host: Semifinal Surface: Synthetic Turf

Dallas, Texas: AT&T Stadium (Arlington)

Expected to host: Semifinal, final Surface: Synthetic Turf

Houston, Texas (NRG Stadium)

Expected to host: Quarterfinal, third-place match Surface: Synthetic Turf

Monterrey, Mexico: Estadio BBVA

Expected to host: Round of 16 Surface: Natural Grass

Mexico City, Mexico: Estadio Azteca

Expected to host: Opening match Surface: Natural Grass (although this may change prior to 2026)

Eastern Facilities

Toronto, Ontario, Canada: BMO Field

Expected to host: Round of 16 Surface: Hybrid

Boston, Massachusetts: Gillette Stadium

Expected to host: Semifinal Surface: Synthetic Turf

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Lincoln Financial Field

Expected to host: Quarterfinal, third-place game Surface: Natural Grass

Miami, Florida: Hard Rock Stadium

Expected to host: Quarterfinal Surface: Natural Grass

New York/New Jersey: MetLife Stadium

Expected to host: Opening game, final Surface: Synthetic Turf

Photo by Fauzan Saari on Unsplash

Mary Helen Sprecher

The tournament will likely begin Thursday, June 11, 2026, unless organizers push for an earlier start date to avoid extreme heat. (Half of the 16 host cities regularly experience June temperatures in the 90s, and only three of those eight stadiums have roofs). It is possible that climate-proof venues could be candidates for afternoon games, while games at outdoor grounds kick off in the evening.

FIFA Club World Cup Also Up for Grabs

FIFA apparently isn’t done with the USA yet, either. Sources close to the inter national governing body say the United States is among the contenders to host the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, after agree ments could not be reached with either

Abu Dhabi or China, formerly considered the frontrunners for hosting honors.

As a side note, this differs from the World Cup as many know it because this is a competition between the strongest club teams (not national teams) worldwide.

If the Club World Cup comes to the U.S., it is likely we’ll see matches played at an NFL stadium that could allow for huge crowds. Since the event is played the week of February 6-12, warm-weather destinations and covered facilities are likely to have the edge in the bidding war.

One thing is for sure: Play would not be hosted at Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium, since the Super Bowl will be held there on February 12.

There is no word yet on any bid process; however, given the timeline, it will likely be much more streamlined than what went on for 2026 – particularly since so much data on all stadiums is already available to FIFA.

Don’t start celebrating yet, though; FIFA has yet to confirm if and when the tour nament will go ahead. So why might the tournament not be held? Well, it’s every one’s favorite scapegoat: the 2022 FIFA World Cup’s schedule. That is being held in Qatar in November, and this scheduling decision caused a strain for other tourna ments’ timing.

ASBA will follow this issue and keep mem bers in the loop on all developments. ★

FEATURED ARTICLES

What’s Trending in Sports Lighting – and What is Causing Those Trends?

Mary Helen Sprecher

According to recent findings by Straits Research, the worldwide stadium lighting market was worth $535 million in 2021 and is estimated to reach an expected value of $1.4 billion by 2030

Below is a synopsis of the trends in play:

LED Lighting is King: Stadium lighting primarily consists of LEDs. LEDs are favored because of the visibility they provide to players, their ability to be con trolled remotely, and because of their durability – not to mention their energy efficiency. (High-pressure sodium is the second largest).

2021 Awards Photo courtesy of The Clark Enersen Partners

Outdoor Facilities are the Largest Mar ket of All: Indoor is second, but within the USA, it is being propelled by youth sports, such as volleyball, gymnastics and competitive cheer, and is expected to have continued growth, particularly as more cities join the arms race to offer the best facilities to attract youth competitions. Soccer is the largest lighting market, while basketball is the second largest – and both can be played indoors or outdoors.

Increasing Investment in the Construc tion and Renovations of Stadiums and Arenas: This has been escalating drasti cally in the USA in the past five years. It is difficult to tell whether this is tied to a specific external factor (such as the wish to bring in a new pro team or to host a high-profile event) or whether it is simply the need to make investments in order to remain current with technology.

Examples of sports facility construction and renovations include the following:

• In 2017, the officials of the Golden State Warriors announced opening a new stadium costing around $1 billion for the 2019-2020 season.

• In 2018, the Frisco City Council ap proved the construction of a private badminton (!) stadium across 2.4 acres.

• In 2015, New York Yankee Stadium was renovated with LED lights; other sustainability initiatives were also put in place.

IoT Pushing Development of New Op portunities: IoT is increasingly finding applications in many fields, and stadium lighting is among them. This is expected to increase opportunities for the global stadium lighting market. In addition, in corporating IoT with lighting systems is expected to enhance the infrastructural capabilities of stadiums.

Who Has the Biggest Sports Lighting Market? Europe. (The USA is second). Europe accounted for the largest market share and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.8 percent during the forecast period. The market growth is accredited to the rising investments by the government to provide efficient lighting services.

In the USA, meanwhile, demand is pri marily driven by its ability to embrace

technology – and by academic institu tions or for-profit sports organizations like leagues and franchises that want updated facilities in order to attract better players and coaches.

The Asia Pacific Is the fastest growing region. India hosted international sporting events, including cricket world cups, Asian games, commonwealth games, and FIFA under-17 world cups. The country also has domestic sports leagues, such as the Indian Premier League, the I-League, the Indian Super League, and many Cricket matches are also held at night, prompting the need for adequate lighting in stadiums. Those who want to purchase the full re port can go to straitsresearch.com/report/ stadium-lighting-market ★

Where the Sports Design & Construction Industry Comes Together

The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) Technical Meeting & Tradeshow will be held at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, California this December 2-5, 2022. Members and guests of the sports design and construction industry from around the world will come together for learning, networking, and business development opportunities.

SESSIONS LIST

All session/event names & times are subject to change *AIA/ASLA CEU Eligible

SUNDAY DECEMBER 4

*1A – Concrete – Overview, Mix Designs, Moisture, and Surface Preparation

Speakers: Dean Craft, DBA, ASTM, CSI, CCCA, CDT, ISE Logik Industries, Inc.; Mark Brogan, CTCB, Pro-Sport Construction, Inc.; John Eren, CTCB, CTB, Classic Turf Company

*1B – Performing and Communicating an Asphalt Inspection for Running Tracks Speakers: Troy Rudolph, CTB, CTCB, CFB, Elite Sports Builders; Brett Long, Lloyd Engineering

*1C – Case Study: Modernization of a Historic Field: LSU Speakers: Sean Hufnagel, HNP, LLC; Ed Norton, RLA, ASLA, LEED-AP, HNP, LLC

1D – Zap the Generational Gap Part 1 Speakers: Meagan Johnson, Author, Generations, Inc. – From Boomers to Linksters, Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work

*2A – LED Lighting Speakers: Bruce & Patrick Frasure, Frasure Reps

*2B – Forensic Investigation of Asphalt Surfaces: When is it Time to Replace the Asphalt? Speakers: Roger Green, Ohio University; Sam Khoury, PhD, PE, Ohio University; Paul Nagle, CTB, AstroTurf Corp.

*2C – Case Study: Martha’s Vineyard, One Year Later Speakers: Chris Huntress, RLA, Huntress Sports

2D – Zap the Generational Gap Part 2 Speakers: Meagan Johnson, Author, Generations, Inc. – From Boomers to Linksters, Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work

3A – Case Study: Poor Access/Land Locked

Speakers: Tom Benz, CTCB, Oval Tennis, Inc.; George Todd, Jr., CTCB, Welch Tennis Courts, Inc.

*3B – Site Visit to Palm Desert High School Track – Track Facility Evaluation/Workshop

Speakers: Kristoff Eldridge, CTB, Cape & Island Tennis & Track; Mike Gentile, Firefly Sports Testing; Noel Gilstrap, Beynon Sports Surfaces, Inc.; Rick Hardin, STOCKMEIER Urethanes USA, Inc.; Duffy Mahoney, USA Track & Field; Aaron Pankoke, CTB, Track Surfaces Company; Ryan Pierce, New England Track & Field Striping

*3C – Advancements in Synthetic and Natural Surfaces, Testing Regulatory Changes Speakers: Kieran O’Donnell, Sports Labs

*3D – Enhanced Asphalt Specifications Speakers: Tim Murphy, PE, Murphy Pavement Technology

*4A – Multi-Use Facilities Speakers: David LaSota, The Tennis Design Studio

*4B – Site Visit to Palm Desert High School Track – Track Facility Evaluation/Workshop

Speakers: Kristoff Eldridge, CTB, Cape & Island Tennis & Track; Mike Gentile, Firefly Sports Testing; Noel Gilstrap, Beynon Sports Surfaces, Inc.; Rick Hardin, STOCKMEIER Urethanes USA, Inc.; Duffy Mahoney, USA Track & Field; Aaron Pankoke, CTB, Track Surfaces Company; Ryan Pierce, New England Track & Field Striping

*4C – Wear and Maintenance of Synthetic Fields, What Builders Should Know

Speakers: Arthur Eddy & Garry Martin, Replay Maintenance USA

*4D – Case Study: Fowler High School

– The Greatest Show Under Turf Speakers: Meghan Friedle & Mathew McCarty, PE, LaBella Associates

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5

*5A – Pickleball

Speakers: Jeff McClure, Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. & 10-S Tennis Supply; Carl Schmits, USA Pickleball

*5B – How Rubber Granules Affect the Physical Properties of Running Track Systems

Speakers: Todd Fort, Gezolan; Chris Martinkat, STOCKMEIER Urethanes, USA

*5C – Intro into Natural Grass, Understanding the Basics Speakers: Michael Gentile, Firefly Sports Testing; David Nardone, Vision Sports Design; Luke Yoder, 4 Most Sport Group

5D – An Economist’s View: Supply Chain Issues Speakers: Chris Kuehl, Armada CI

*6A – Indoor Mutli-Use Equipment/ Flooring/Components

Speakers: Matt Phelps & Laura St. George, GARED

*6B – Track Systems 101 Speakers: Bryan Conley, CTB, Geosurfaces; Rick Hardin, STOCKMEIER Urethanes USA, Inc.

*6C – Building on the Basics, an In Depth Look at Natural Grass Construction

Speakers: Michael Gentile, Firefly Sports Testing; David Nardone, Vision Sports Design; Luke Yoder, 4 Most Sport Group

Speakers: David Pettit, Esq., Flora Pettit PC

Speakers: Tom DeRosa, CTCB, DeRosa Sports Construction; Fred Kolkmann, CTCB, Fred Kolkmann Tennis & Sport Surfaces, LLC

Speakers: Mark Baginski, RLA, LEED AP, Verde Design, Inc.; Mike Gasparovic, Beynon Sports Surfaces, Inc.

Speakers: Alastair Cox, ESTC Technical Director

Speakers: John Nelson, CFB, Peacock Services, LLC; Nikki Augsburger, ASBA Associate Director *8B –

PLAYING BY THE RULES

ASBA periodically recounts rule changes that may affect the way facilities are constructed, marked or appointed (including equipment that is either experimental, recommended or mandatory). Rule changes affecting athletes (uniforms, etc.) or the game itself (what constitutes a foul, etc.) are not covered here.

Information presented here is only reviewed briefly; full information can be gained through the governing bodies mentioned.

NCAA: Rule Changes for Baseball and Softball

NCAA softball games can be played using a double first base on an experimental basis for the 2022-23 academic year.

The experimental rule, which was ap proved by the NCAA Playing Rules Over sight Panel in August, allows the fielder to use half the base and the batter-runner to use the other half.

Both teams will have to agree to use the double first base during regular-season spring games or fall competitions played in the nontraditional season. Base speci fications and specific rules on how to use the base will be included later as part of the experimental rule.

Schools that choose to use this experi mental rule must submit a waiver request and collect specific data points that will be outlined by the NCAA Softball Rules Committee.

Fence padding

The panel approved a requirement that all sideline and home run fences constructed of wood, concrete or brick be padded by Jan. 1, 2027. Padding must begin not higher than 1 foot off the ground and extend to the top of the wood, concrete or brick or 6 feet from the ground, whichever is shorter. The panel also would like the NCAA Softball Rules Committee to discuss adding all hard surfaces to this proposal.

Padding is also a requirement for back stops constructed of wood, concrete

and brick and was previously strongly recommended for fences constructed of those materials.

The delayed implementation was recom mended due to the costs associated with this change.

Clocks

Between-innings and action clocks must be visible on the field by Jan. 1, 2024, for all Division I games, and Jan. 1, 2025, for all Division II and III games. Clocks do not have to be permanently affixed to the sta dium. The change established a minimum of one visible clock, although multiple clocks are encouraged. A clock should be visible to the field umpire responsible for monitoring updated timing rules.

To effectively and consistently enforce rules aimed at addressing the concern, the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee thinks a visible clock is necessary to address pace-of-play issues.

Video Review

The panel approved expanding umpires’ use of video replay review. Umpires can initiate video reviews to see whether ma licious contact or misconduct occurred. Umpires will also be able to initiate re views regarding catcher’s interference.

(Note: This may necessitate work on the connectivity of sports facilities to ascer tain that video recording capabilities are acceptable).

ITA Announces Collegiate Tennis Rules Additions, Changes, and Clarifications for the 2022-23 Season

Note: This information is a summary. Interested parties should consult the 2022-23 ITA Rulebook for official rule language. The 2022-23 ITA Rulebook published electronically and in hard copy.

Rule Changes

• Allowable area: The allowable area will be established by the home coach and Referee. It is preferred the allowable area is completely separated from spectators and is not located directly behind a court.

• Tennis balls: Due to continuing supply chain issues, the protocol applied during COVID regarding the shortage of tennis balls and the use of alternate brands of tennis balls is being adopt ed as a change for this year.

NFHS: High School Boys Lacrosse Rules Changes

The NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Commit tee has released rules changes for the 2023 season.

The first of two alterations affecting field markings is found in Rule 1-2-1 PENALTY, which now states that the home team will be assessed a delay-of-game penalty if the field does not have continuous sidelines and end lines, in addition to the center line. The change is intended to maintain the integrity of the playing field and discour

age schools from allowing other logos on the field – particularly large football field end zone logos – to create breakages in the lacrosse lines.

Revised dimensions for the table area and coaches’ area constitute the other update to the playing field for the upcoming year. In Rule 1-2-7, the two perpendicular lines that connect the sideline and the scorer’s table to form the table area boundaries will now be drawn 5 yards from the center line on each side rather than 10 yards. The coaches’ area, defined in Rule 1-2-8, will now extend 20 yards down the field parallel to the sideline instead of 15 yards. These new measurements standardize the high school boys lacrosse table area and coaches’ area with other rules codes including NFHS girls lacrosse and NCAA men’s lacrosse and assist officials in man aging substitutions. ★

MEMBER NEWSLINE

Aer-Flo Sports Opens New Facility in Lincoln, Alabama

German Basketball Bundesliga Takes to the Court with ASB GlassFloor

Tweener LED Court Lighting Providing Innovative Solutions

Aer-Flo Sports announced the opening of its new state-of-the-art facility in Lincoln, Alabama. Located on a 22-acre site, the new complex provides Aer-Flo the ability to more than double its physical space in the coming years.

This location serves as a warehouse, distribution center and as the manufac turing center for custom windscreens, field padding, tarps and other sports pad ding and protectors. The new facility also houses Aer-Flo’s industry-leading digital print capabilities, plus engineers and CAD professionals who develop new products.

Will the first games in the German Bas ketball Bundesliga soon be played on a glass sports floor? On August 20, two top Bundesliga teams put the innovative sports floor to the test for the first time and were able to dispel all and any prejudices in a professional preseason game held at the OYM, Europe’s most modern sports center, located in Cham, Switzerland.

There was a great deal of skepticism within the German basketball landscape when the world federation FIBA recently granted Level 1 accreditation to ASB Glass Floor and thus, in effect, approval for all official basketball competitions. But two training sessions and one game later, all doubts were dispelled.

Tweener LED Court Lighting for outdoor tennis and pickleball courts is the patent ed, UL Certified, linear LED sports lighting solution now being offered in the USA. It offers cost-efficient court lighting that can be self-installed on existing fences.

“I never thought we’d be able to have lights on any of our outdoor courts due to city light pollution policies in the area surrounding our club,” said Ron Steege, the Director of Tennis at Club Greenwood in Greenwood Village, Colorado. “Thank fully, the technology Tweener provides opened the door to the city, allowing us to light our outdoor pickleball courts. Our members love these lights and thanks to Tweener, I’m confident that we will be able to add lights to our tennis courts in the near future.”

Other recent US installations include:

Located fifteen miles from the previous site, the new 100,000sf facility will house 100+ employees when fully operational.

“We are thrilled to open our new facility with more than 95 percent of our current employees joining our new location,” shared Aer-Flo President/Owner, John Maher. “As well, we are excited to an nounce we are looking to add employees to our expanding team.”

“The versatility of this complex is secondto-none,” stated Dwayne Dark, General Manager. “We’ll use this location as a design, manufacturing, warehousing and shipping facility, plus it is home to our customer service department and can host customer events. It’s one of the largest facilities of its type in the United States.” ★

“We have developed an uncompromis ing sports floor with the athlete in mind first and foremost. FIBA Level 1 is the most valuable approval in the world of indoor sports and allows our customers to host basketball tournaments at the highest level while incorporating invisible elements to entertain the audience and advertise,” said ASB Managing Director Christof Babinsky. ★ *

• Delray Beach Club in Delray Beach, Florida

• Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio, Texas

• Santa Monica Tennis Center in Santa Monica, California

• The Delaware Academy in Delhi, New York

For more information about our Tweener LED court lighting solutions, please visit www.tweenerusa.com ★

ASBA reserves the right to edit all information submitted.

The Yards Pickle Garden Opens with Zone

LED Lighting

The Yards, a social hub located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, recently opened the Pickle Garden. The 12 new pickleball courts, built by Nidy Sports Construction, complement the golf and tennis options at the club.

The new pickleball facility features Zone LED lighting designed and provided by Frasure Reps. The lighting system pro vides extended play hours for the club. The full cutoff optical system of the Zone lighting system provides brilliant light levels on the courts with minimal light spillage outside of the courts. ★

Futwall™ Five-A-Side Soccer Enclosure Added to Sportsfield Specialties Product Offerings

This year has once again been a time for product innovation at Sportsfield Specialties. The extensive input of the sales team, as well as feedback from clients, alongside Sportsfield’s in-house engineers, resulted in the introduction of the Futwall™ Five-A-Side soccer enclosure.

vative product to the sports construction world. “The FutWall™ system offers an enclosed space for dynamic five-a-side soccer matches that are highly adaptable to areas with limited space, which is very appealing to urban population centers that want to offer additional places for recreational play.”

This FutWall™ system is available in stan dard sizes, as well as custom lengths, widths and configurations (single, double, triple, etc.). The wall panels are designed to allow end users to install team-spon sored branding. This system is constructed with durable powder-coated steel poles, aluminum side panels and the customer’s choice of #36 nylon or premium Ultra Cross® knotless Dyneema® barrier netting. Efficient LSI Zone™ LED Sports Lighting is also available upon request.

Quality Court Industries, LLC Announces New Project in Thibodaux, Louisiana

Quality Court Industries, LLC (QCI) recently had the privilege of building twelve new post tension tennis courts and one post tension basketball court for the Thibodaux Regional Wellness Center (TRWC) in Thi bodaux, Louisiana.

QCI wholeheartedly contends that post tension is a smart initial investment as those court subbases last far longer than asphalt or even reinforced concrete. In addition, QCI also provided the acrylic tennis court surface system and striping, as well as all court accessories, including windscreens with custom logos. QCI also provided black vinyl tennis court fencing that is 10 feet high and steps down to three feet high between courts.

This facility, the first of its kind in the state of Louisiana, will be a medically directed wellness and fitness center, and the courts serve as an integral part of the state-ofthe-art fitness amenities. Contact QCI to learn more about this tremendous project, as well as other similar projects.

Visit QCI’s website at www.qualitycourt.com or call toll free: 855-774-9974 or send an email to: info@ qualitycourt.com ★

Due to its ability to be played inside an arena-like synthetic turf field, five-a-side soccer is considered an all-season activ ity. The fast-moving and action-packed characteristics of this game increase participants’ involvement and spectators’ excitement, which is evident in the growth this sport has experienced in the United States over the last several years.

David Moxley, Director of Sales for the Sports Construction Division, describes how excited he is to introduce this inno

Sportsfield Specialties plans to expand this system in the near future to offer additional SmallWall™ sports enclosures such as box lacrosse. ★

Want Your Company Featured in Member News?

Please send information to ASBA using the form available on our website at sportsbuilders.org/builditright. You’ll find it on the Build It Right Magazine page under the News tab that is located on the top right-hand corner of the home page.

Please limit news to 200 words; ASBA publishes one news item per member company in each issue.

Note: ASBA is interested in information on projects, products, new hires, retirements, company milestones – all your important news.

Play all night with the only patented linear LED lighting system for tennis & pickleball courts!

Major League Pickleball (MLP), a co-ed, team based league platform, debuted this past summer with 12 four-person teams. The league held three tournaments this year (one in Austin, Texas; one in Newport Beach, California; and one in Columbus, Ohio) and next year, will expand in both teams and numbers of tournaments. One of the expansion teams is partly owned by LeBron James.

Interesting point: This year, sports fans watched with interest as the PGA and LIV battled it out for players. Get ready for this conflict to repeat itself with MLP. Current ly, many top pickleball pros are touring members of the Professional Pickleball Association – which, as it turns out, signs its players to mostly exclusive contracts

What

IN EVERY ISSUE

TRENDING TOPICS: Major League Pickleball Drawing Big Investors, Including…LeBron

that preclude them from playing with Major League Pickleball and on other tours. And just as with the PGA and LIV, that’s a source of friction. (Most of the players on MLP come from the Association of Pickleball Professionals tour).

World Cup 2030 Bid Coming from Spain, Portugal and Ukraine

Nope, not a typo. Even though they are thousands of miles apart (and don’t even share a border), Spain and Portugal have added Ukraine to their bid for the 2030 World Cup. All three nations say they believe the bid will promote the healing power of sports. ★

NEW MEMBERS

• Bryan Rock Products, Inc. (Supplier)

• CH Court Tech, Inc. (Builder)

• H.E. Hodge (Builder)

• Portolite Pitching

(Supplier)

Mounds

• Sports Contractors

Unlimited, LLC (Builder)

• Sports Venue Calculator (Calculator Group, LLC) (Professional)

• Track and Field Installers (Builder)

floor

The

Boen Boflex provides dynamic shock absorption regardless of player size and weight.

Our proprietary force reduction system combines 2 different thicknesses of cushion making it suitable from youth through adult. The system is so robust, it will even handle heavier loads such as special events and bleachers. Visit sport.boen.com for more information.

The

Whether

BOEN BOFLEX loading capacity: LIGHT LOAD e.g. youth athletes (90 lb) MEDIUM LOAD e.g. adult athletes (165 lb)

HEAVY LOAD special events, bleachers , transport carts...

The floor can withstand several tons of pressure without any damage being done. Even heavy vehicles can drive in and out without any detriment to the floor.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS ASBA?

As part of our continuing effort to promote ASBA as an industry resource in sports construction issues, following are some of the recent and upcoming events at which ASBA has had/will have a presence:

AUGUST - US Open Tennis Championships/USTA

DECEMBER - ASBA Technical Meeting

ASBA’s members, leadership and staff will gather at the JW Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, California for ASBA’s Technical Meeting and Tradeshow on December 2-5.

JANUARY - Sports Field Management Association (SFMA) Conference

ASBA will participate at the SFMA Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 16-19. ASBA will be hosting a panel presentation January 19 from 8-10am, on “Designing/Building a

FEBRUARY - ASBA Post-Tensioned Concrete Workshop

ASBA will hold its first-ever post-tensioned concrete workshop, presented by Tim Christie of the Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI), on February 8-9 in Dallas, Texas. The two-day workshop is eligible for 8 CEUs for ASBA Certified Builders and 12 points for licensed professional engineers. Candidates who successfully pass the post-course examination can obtain their Level 1 & 2 Slab-on-Ground Certification through PTI.

Right on your doorstep –US Production Site

EPDM granules for sports and leisure flooring with the well-known GEZOLAN quality directly produced in the USA.

State-of-the-art production facility in Buford, GA since 2018.

Best availability and short lead times for North American customers due to our nationwide warehouses.

Executive Director Fred Stringfellow participated in the Board meeting of the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) in New York, attended the US Open and met with USTA representatives.

SEPTEMBER - National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA) Annual Meeting Associate Director Nikki Augsburger attended the NRPA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in September.

Sports Field with Grounds Managers in Mind.” Panelists will include Casey Scheidel, Sam Titchener, Mark Baginski and Casey Carrick.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

The workshop will outline the basic body of knowledge that should be possessed by all personnel involved in the installation and stressing of PT in these light foundation systems. Hands-on training is included.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This training is of value to installers, builders, design professionals, inspectors, engineers, or anyone involved in the installation of unbonded post-tensioning systems for SOG.

WHAT TOPICS WILL BE COVERED

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE

The workshop will outline the basic body of knowledge that should be possessed by all personnel involved in the installation and stressing of PT in these light foundation systems. Hands-on training is included.