Michigan unveils Blue tennis courts
I was over by the VTC last Friday for W Soccer and the courts were covered up still.
The tattered green has been replaced with an all-Blue surface that will be easy on the eyes for when the sun is shining.
Here are the old courts from their last match ever in the NCAA Regional.
August 22nd, 2017 at 5:33 PM ^
Thanks Dave Brandon! /s
August 22nd, 2017 at 7:47 PM ^
#smurfball
August 22nd, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^
We are the Boise State of tennis.
EDIT: I wonder if, like at Boise State, dozens of birds will die every day while mistaking these courts for a lake???
August 22nd, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^
The Boise State of field hockey previously. Guess we just HAD to have some sports team play on a blue surface.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:00 PM ^
Yeah, that bird thing sounds made up.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:09 PM ^
Why? Just because birds around A2 don't generally dive bomb into water? /s
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:28 PM ^
Natural selection is already at work, weeding out the dumb birds who dive into blue fields and fly into giant windmills. We are forcing the birds to evolve until one day they decide they've had enough of our shit and they declare war on us.
My greatest fear as a child was getting struck by a bird's beak in the temple (the one by your eye) because I was told you could die if that happened.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:49 PM ^
"How come the dove gets to be the peace symbol? How about the pillow? It has more feathers than the dove, and it doesn't have that dangerous beak." ~Jack Handey
August 22nd, 2017 at 11:19 PM ^
Thank you sir. Hadn't read that masterful Handey quote!
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:45 PM ^
And FYI, something like one BILLION birds die each year crashing into buildings...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/stop-blaming-cat…
August 22nd, 2017 at 9:54 PM ^
How many damn birds are alive on the planet at a given time if we can lose a billion annually and they're still everywhere.
August 22nd, 2017 at 10:01 PM ^
This hot take brought to you by someone who knows nothing about tennis. (see pictures below)
August 22nd, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^
They will look better when the nets are up. Don't they need a white or maize border, or something?
August 22nd, 2017 at 5:58 PM ^
Nets and borders are so old school.
August 22nd, 2017 at 5:41 PM ^
Saying all along. Field Hockey, Green, Tennis Courts, Blue. Poof!, it happened, I Win!
/s
August 22nd, 2017 at 5:49 PM ^
it looks quite blue
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:56 PM ^
It's not blue. It's Blue.
It's got that capitalization quotient you look for in a sports surface.
August 22nd, 2017 at 5:49 PM ^
ouch my eyes. Maybe if they were blue clay they would have a redeeming quality.
August 22nd, 2017 at 10:21 PM ^
Back in 2012 they played the Madrid tournament on blue clay.
The reason they switched from the traditional red clay to this very unique blue color is because blue provides a much better contrast with the yellow ball and makes it much easier to watch on TV (red clay is probably the worst surface to watch on TV because it is hard to follow the ball). Unfortunately the players hated the surface and complained that it was very slippery and did not like how it departed from the traditional red clay so they switched back the next year.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:01 PM ^
I guess I'm just old, but I liked playing on the green borders with blue courts. Blue on light blue strikes me as being a bit harsh. But during the match, you really don't even see or focus on the sidelines. So if this is some mind-ninja thing to distract our opponents (Iowa's pink visiting locker rooms) then I'm all for it.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:13 PM ^
Hey WD, do you have any construction updates on the new track arena and lacrosse stadium?
August 22nd, 2017 at 7:58 PM ^
I drove by the lacrosse stadium last week and it looks amazing honestly. I couldn't see the field but it looked like they were installing field turf
August 22nd, 2017 at 9:57 PM ^
username checks out
August 23rd, 2017 at 10:19 AM ^
Here's a sneak peak. They modeled it after the Big House but it will only seat 90,000 or so (but there is room for expansion).
August 23rd, 2017 at 6:15 AM ^
The facility looks good. Last time I was in there, the lacrosse locker rooms were essentially done, paint was going on elsewhere, and they were working on the surface for the indoor track. That was two weeks ago.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:13 PM ^
This makes sense to me. The Australian Open does this (remarkably similar scheme, really) and it looks great. Tennis surfaces are available in basically any color you want, why not blue?
It is safe to assume that the lines will be white.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:48 PM ^
here's one vote for maize lines. There should still be enough contrast to detect if the ball is in or out.
August 22nd, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^
How in the heck did you remember that - well done.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:29 PM ^
Add maize lines and they'be implemented the MGoBlog site color scheme.
August 22nd, 2017 at 6:30 PM ^
Blue!!!!
August 22nd, 2017 at 7:20 PM ^
Why not maize trim with blue courts? Not that awful, blinding adidas "maize" but actual maize. I demand they tear this up and start over.
August 22nd, 2017 at 8:32 PM ^
I would imagine
August 22nd, 2017 at 10:22 PM ^
I can't tell if people are serious or not but you know most tennis balls are yellow/greenish, right? So I think it would be a tad difficult to tell the difference
August 22nd, 2017 at 8:14 PM ^
Not a fan...but don't care enough to be upset over it.
August 22nd, 2017 at 8:31 PM ^
I actually liked blue courts a lot more than green
August 23rd, 2017 at 9:42 AM ^
Looks great. That whole south athletic campus should be awesome once it's done.