Gophers using heating coils for games?

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Crazy Tony MN

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I was talking to the parent of one of the players at our tailgate on Saturday, and he said that MN isn't using or will be ripping out the heating coils at TCF Bank Stadium. I thought that sounded silly and probably wrong that we'd rip them out, but anyone know if we're actually still using them for games?
 

It would seem odd to tear them out now when they had the chance to do that while replacing the turf this year, but what do I know?
 

It was frozen on Saturday. No way the field was that good without using them. They are using them. My understanding is that they get new turf every time a new user leaves. Meaning they will get new turf again when MN United is done playing games at TCF. I can't imaging taking the heat out.
 

Yeah, I think it would be ludicrous to rip them out, but I could totally see us not even using them even though they were installed for free.
 

The only reason I could see for ripping them out would be if there were a ton of maintenance costs associated with having them. Otherwise it would seem foolish to remove a system that you can get benefit out of from time to time. Definitely not a necessity at TCF given when our season takes place but since they are there it wouldn't make a ton of sense to remove them unless it just wasn't cost effective to keep them.
 


When they replaced the turf last time they showed a picture when they were 1/2 done and I didn't see the coils then. When you look at the pictures from when they put the Vikings' turf in, you could clearly see the coils. I don't know if they just put more dirt on them this time or if they pulled them out or if it was an optical illusion or what.

I know those systems do take a fair amount of maintenance, and you have to run them "regularly" (whatever that means) to keep them going so you have that expense, too. At some point you have to do a cost/benefit analysis to see if it's worth it.

For one game a year, it might not make sense. Then again, it might not be as much as I think and it might make all the sense in the world to keep it.

Either way for Saturday there was no reason to run it. The ground is not even close to frozen yet, and it was plenty warm enough to keep the field in good shape. Heck, when the game started it was above freezing.
 

Maintenance, if it is not being used where is the maintenance? For that one game playing without it could find the field being icy, hard, and slippery. I am from the Old School, and remember playing on icy fields. It added nothing to game except some bruises, sprained ankles, and strained hamstrings. Having it insures a safer field for both teams. And if it is used once in two years, tell me maintenance is the problem.
 

Is it my imagination or do we get a lot of "oh man I heard this <insert absurd thing>" on here?
 

Lakeville Goldy said:
When they replaced the turf last time they showed a picture when they were 1/2 done and I didn't see the coils then. When you look at the pictures from when they put the Vikings' turf in, you could clearly see the coils. I don't know if they just put more dirt on them this time or if they pulled them out or if it was an optical illusion or what.

I know those systems do take a fair amount of maintenance, and you have to run them "regularly" (whatever that means) to keep them going so you have that expense, too. At some point you have to do a cost/benefit analysis to see if it's worth it.

For one game a year, it might not make sense. Then again, it might not be as much as I think and it might make all the sense in the world to keep it.

Either way for Saturday there was no reason to run it. The ground is not even close to frozen yet, and it was plenty warm enough to keep the field in good shape. Heck, when the game started it was above freezing.
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This was discussed to death at the time of the replacement...coils are there, they are using them.
 



The MN United season will run from March-October with playoffs in November. They could start and end their season in snow! They may very well need the heated field. I believe for now, they are planning on using TCF for 1.5 seasons. (or maybe longer if they can't get started on their new field off of Snelling Ave)
 

100% Correct and verified

PMWinSTP said:
This was discussed to death at the time of the replacement...coils are there, they are using them.
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Okay, I made some phone calls....A lottt of money to put the coils in and it would be a lottt of money to take them out. They are in the subgrade. Remove everything, start over, regrade, recompact etc. Quote I got was, "They will never take those out" All plastic tubing, including no metal connectors. So there is nothing for the water to eat or corrode. "No maintenance to very very minor maintenance." "Very Infrequently turn the pumps on to circulate the water just to turnover the fluid and prevent any stagnation buildup." "Only maintenance would be the pumps and thats unlikely." "Built to be maintenance free"

Because they are in the subgrade, you are not going to see them at any time...including new turf installation.

So, if the University doesn't use the system in light of all the injury, safety precautions with knees and concussions on a frozen field, that would be pretty short sighted.
 

I say crank the thing up to 200 degrees on our game winning field goal drive.
Get that upward draft.
 

60's Guy said:
100% Correct and verified



Okay, I made some phone calls....A lottt of money to put the coils in and it would be a lottt of money to take them out. They are in the subgrade. Remove everything, start over, regrade, recompact etc. Quote I got was, "They will never take those out" All plastic tubing, including no metal connectors. So there is nothing for the water to eat or corrode. "No maintenance to very very minor maintenance." "Very Infrequently turn the pumps on to circulate the water just to turnover the fluid and prevent any stagnation buildup." "Only maintenance would be the pumps and thats unlikely." "Built to be maintenance free"

Because they are in the subgrade, you are not going to see them at any time...including new turf installation.

So, if the University doesn't use the system in light of all the injury, safety precautions with knees and concussions on a frozen field, that would be pretty short sighted.
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Anything new on this? I’ve seen it mentioned recently that they’ve been removed.

I agree with “low maintenance.” It’s plastic tubing, a natural gas fired boiler, and some pumps. It would probably cost more to remove the system than to maintain it, and given how much it costs to have something like this installed, it would be ridiculous.
 



Its pretty well known that they took the coils out a while ago. Smart to remove them. This thread is dated.
 

PitinoFan said:
Anything new on this? I’ve seen it mentioned recently that they’ve been removed.

I agree with “low maintenance.” It’s plastic tubing, a natural gas fired boiler, and some pumps. It would probably cost more to remove the system than to maintain it, and given how much it costs to have something like this installed, it would be ridiculous.
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It shocking to me thast some posters are saying it was removed. Makes no sense
 



As of a Gopherfootball tweet on 11 April 2019 - the heating coils are still there in the ground below the field. It's basically a radiant heat system like you'd have for your house except its heating a field.
 

I am close personal friends with the TCF bank field manger. They are in there and have been in there since the vikings played there.
 

Was told this morning they are most likely even turned on already
 

AF_Howie_2180 said:
As of a Gopherfootball tweet on 11 April 2019 - the heating coils are still there in the ground below the field. It's basically a radiant heat system like you'd have for your house except its heating a field.
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So they removed the coyles over the summer? So dumb.
 

So did they or did they not remove the heating system? We are still wondering. lol
 

We are all now dumber for reading this thread. Thanks GopherHole
 

So do recap, either the coils are still there or they are not, if they are still there, we may or may not be using them, and if they are not there, we probably are not using them? Did I miss anything?
 


I got from this that the coils were either removed in the summer of 2019 OR they are CURRENTLY on and functioning at elite levels as I type this.
 

For any Wisconsin fans or coaches reading this the coils were removed and your players will be subject to horrendous injuries as a result during the coming snowmageddon. You will probably just want to stay home. Come at your own risk.
 

Wasn't there an issue with the coils leaking?
Maintenance issue.

That's why Farve's head hit frozen turf and he never played again.
 

How about sideline heaters? I remember the Vikings under Bud Grant never used them even in 10 degree weather.

And why do players go out bare-armed in very cold weather? Why not wear a long sleeved thermo shirt at least?
 

OldBob53 said:
How about sideline heaters? I remember the Vikings under Bud Grant never used them even in 10 degree weather.

And why do players go out bare-armed in very cold weather? Why not wear a long sleeved thermo shirt at least?
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As long as they don’t wear hoodies like a bunch of sissies.
 

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