View source for Roos Field

{{Short description|Outdoor college football stadium in the northwest United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name      = Roos Field
| nickname          = ''"The Inferno"''
| former_names      = Woodward Field<br />(1967–2009)
| image             = EWU-Roos-Field.jpg
| image_size        = 260
| caption           = Debut of red field in<!-- September--> [[2010 Eastern Washington Eagles football team|2010]]
| image_map         = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=13|type=point}}
| pushpin_map       = USA#Washington
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the [[United States]]##Location in [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
| pushpin_mapsize   = 240
| pushpin_label     = Cheney
| pushpin_relief    = yes
| address           =
| location          = [[Eastern Washington University]]<br />[[Cheney, Washington]], U.S.
| elevation         = {{convert|2470|ft|round=5}} [[Height above mean sea level|AMSL]]
| broke_ground      = 1966
| opened            = 1967, {{Years or months ago|1967}}<ref name=cgrblue>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hDlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H-kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3928%2C3675686 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |title=All this... and Cougar bluegrass |last=Missildine |first=Harry |date=April 12, 1967 |page=10 }}</ref><ref name=nwlk>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nldYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7230%2C306614 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |agency=(photo) |title=EWSC buildings give Cheney school new look |date=September 18, 1967 |page=12 }}</ref>
| owner             = Eastern Washington University
| operator          = {{nowrap|Eastern Washington University}}
| surface           = [[AstroTurf]] 3D3 (red) (2020–<!--present-->)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.astroturf.com/eastern-washington-university-installs-new-astroturf-field/ | title=Eastern Washington University Installs New AstroTurf Field | date=19 July 2020 }}</ref> <br />SprinTurf (red) (2010–2020)<br />Natural grass (1967–2009)
| construction_cost = [[United States dollar|$]]1.5 million<br>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1500000|1967}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}}<!-- dollars-->{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect         = T.W. Clark Construction LLC
| tenants           = [[Eastern Washington Eagles football team|Eastern Washington Eagles]] (1967–present)
| seating_capacity  = 8,600 (2004–present)<br />7,500 (1967–2003)
| record_attendance = 11,702 &nbsp;(September 18, 2010)
}}<!--
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|relief     = 1
|label      = <small>Cheney</small>
|lat        = 47.493
|long       = -117.588
|caption    = Location in the [[United States]]
|float      =
|marksize   = 5 
|background = 
|width      = 250
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{{Location map
|USA Washington
|relief     = 1
|label      = <small>Cheney</small>
|lat        = 47.493
|long       = -117.588
|caption    = Location in [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|float      =
|marksize   = 5 
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|width      = 180
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'''Roos Field''' is an outdoor [[college football]] [[stadium]] in the [[Northwest United States|northwest]] [[United States]], on the campus of [[Eastern Washington University]] in [[Cheney, Washington]], southwest of [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]]. It is the home venue of the [[Eastern Washington Eagles football team|Eastern Washington Eagles]] of the [[Big Sky Conference]] in [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision|Division I (FCS)]].

Opened {{Years or months ago|1967}} in 1967,<ref name=cgrblue/><ref name=nwlk/> the Eagles have accomplished a 112–51 ({{winning percentage|112|51}}) record at home.  The [[seating capacity]] was increased in 2004 to its current capacity of 8,700 permanent seats. Additional temporary seating is often utilized to accommodate large crowds, which brings the capacity to nearly 12,000.<ref>[http://goeags.cstv.com/facilities/ewas-woodward.html goeags.cstv.com/facilities] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321221552/http://goeags.cstv.com/facilities/ewas-woodward.html |date=2009-03-21 }}</ref>

==Naming history==
The stadium was originally named '''Woodward Field''' in honor of former Eagles head football and basketball coach [[Arthur C. Woodward]]. It replaced the original Woodward Field, which was located near the present JFK Library.<ref>[http://goeags.cstv.com/facilities/ewas-woodward.html goeags.cstv.com/facilities/ewas-woodward.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321221552/http://goeags.cstv.com/facilities/ewas-woodward.html |date=2009-03-21 }}</ref>

The field was renamed before the start of the [[2010 Eastern Washington Eagles football team|2010]] season in honor of [[Michael Roos]], an [[All-Pro]] [[NFL]] [[offensive tackle (American football)|tackle]] and former Eastern Washington football player, and major donor for the Red Turf project.

==2004 renovation==
[[File:Ewusuites.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Suites in the new press box]]
Roos Field went under a massive renovation in 2004 that upgraded public facilities, the press box, new locker room, and also updated the stadium's capacity.

The suites and media center represent phase two of a three-phase $4.5 million stadium upgrade. Phase one consisted of a $350,000 renovation of the stadium's entrance and ticket office. Completed in 2002, the project was funded with state dollars. Phase three increased the stadium's permanent seating capacity from 7,500 to 8,700 and was financed with a combination of public funds and private donations.

"Our ability to bring prospective donors and entertain them is important," says Scott Barnes. "It will create a revenue stream for us over time. It's also an important piece in the recruiting process." Barnes says EWU will market the suites to donors, who will pay $30,000 to lease them for five years. The project called for a two-level {{convert|6800|sqft|m2|adj=on}} structure to replace the existing about {{convert|800|sqft|m2|adj=on}} press box with the enclosed suites and a new press box on the west side of the stadium. The first floor of the elevated structure contains the donor suites and the second level is for the media and coaches. Each of the donor suites has 12 seats and room for additional people.  The suites also have cable television, stereos, and refrigerators.

==Attendance==
[[File:RedTurf1.jpg|thumb|160px|Sold out Roos Field in [[2010 Eastern Washington Eagles football team|2010]]]]
{{see also|The Dam Cup|EWU–UM Governors Cup}}
In [[2010 Eastern Washington Eagles football team|2010]], a record 11,702 fans watched the Eagles defeat [[2010 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] 36–27 on September 18, in the first game played on EWU's signature red turf dubbed the "Inferno."

Eastern set its single season attendance record in [[2011 Eastern Washington Eagles football team|2011]] with an average of 8,889 and currently ranks 48th in FCS and fourth in the Big Sky Conference.<ref>{{Cite web| title=NCAA accumulated attendance report | url=http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2011/Internet/attendance/FCS_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112015656/http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2011/Internet/attendance/FCS_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf | archive-date=2020-11-12}}</ref>  Roos Field's capacity is expanded by 2,000 by adding bleachers when it hosts Montana.<ref>{{Cite web | title=2016 Football Fact Book - Pages 1-15 (PDF) - Eastern Washington University Athletics | url=http://goeags.com/documents/2016/8/5/16fbfactbookpages1-15.pdf | access-date=2025-02-27 | website=goeags.com}}</ref>

==Red turf==
On February 26, 2010, [[ESPN]] reported that Eastern Washington planned to remove the natural turf at Woodward Field and replace it with red [[SprinTurf]], making it the second Division I college football program to have a non-green playing surface ([[Boise State Broncos football|Boise State]] of the [[Mountain West Conference|MWC]] has had a [[Albertsons Stadium#Blue artificial turf|blue surface]] since [[1986 Boise State Broncos football team|1986]]).  A funding drive was begun in late January 2010, with EWU alumnus [[Michael Roos]] donating $500,000 toward the installation costs, and fellow alumnus and [[Fox Sports]] personality [[Colin Cowherd]] also making a donation.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=4946817 sports.espn.go.com]</ref> On May 20, the Eastern Washington Board of Trustees approved a name change to Roos Field upon the successful completion of the project.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://goeags.com/genrel/releases/10atMay20RoosField |title=Official Athletic Site of Eastern Washington University |access-date=2011-04-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121234017/http://goeags.com/genrel/releases/10atMay20RoosField |archive-date=2011-01-21 }}</ref>

The field is aligned nearly north–south, offset slightly to the northwest, at an approximate [[elevation]] of {{convert|2450|ft|round=5}} above [[sea level]].

==Future upgrades at Roos Field==

===Video scoreboard===
In June 2012, it was announced that a state-of-the-art video scoreboard would be installed in time for the first home game of the 2012 season on September 29. The project will be financed by the EWU Foundation and will not include any taxpayer or non-designated donor dollars. The primary source of funding will come from advertising revenue generated from the scoreboards, which will also produce revenue for scholarships.<ref>[http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jun/22/ewu-football-hoops-to-get-new-video-scoreboards/ EWU football, hoops to get new video scoreboards]</ref>

===Gateway Project===
In April 2012, the "Gateway Project", was proposed to the EWU Board of Trustees. The proposal included among other things, adding 5,000 additional seats in lower seating, rather than bleachers, on the Washington Street side of Roos Field, plus 3,000 covered seats (for a final overall total of 15,000 seats) in an upper area a concession areas with a view of the football field, suites and a donor club with tiered seating and a patio, an Academic Success facility for athletes, a training room and a football operations office with locker rooms for home and visiting teams, a new university bookstore and leasable commercial space.<ref>[http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/apr/07/ewu-molds-big-dreams-with-gateway-project/ EWU molds big dreams with Gateway Project]</ref>

A feasibility study is currently underway that would identify revenue streams and measure costs, which have been estimated to be $20 million or more. No time frame has been set for the start of the project as of July, 2012.

In November 2012, it was announced that the project envisions adding several thousand seats at Roos Field, boosting capacity beyond 18,000. Other amenities include athletic facilities, band locker rooms, offices, and retail space. The latter is expected to generate revenue once the project becomes a reality. The project is now estimated to cost $60 million to $70 million.<ref>[http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/nov/30/ewu-gateway-project-schematics-shown/ EWU Gateway Project schematics shown]</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I FCS football stadiums]]
* [[List of college football stadiums with non-traditional field colors]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}<!--added above External links/Sources by script-assisted edit-->

{{Eastern Washington Eagles football navbox|stadium}}
{{Big Sky Conference football venue navbox}}
{{Washington college football venues}}
{{College football venues with non-traditional field colors}}

{{coord|47.493|N|117.588|W|type:landmark|display=title}}

[[Category:College football venues in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Eastern Washington Eagles football]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Spokane County, Washington]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Spokane County, Washington]]