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SALT LAKE CITY -- You've seen it before: A sports team demolishes an old stadium then sells off the seats and other items to loyal fans. Well, the University of Utah is doing something similar.
On July 1, football fans can buy a piece of artificial turf that was recently removed from Rice Eccles Stadium.
""Rice Eccles Stadium has been a great place for Utah fans to go and see a lot of excitement, and this turf is a piece of history," said Mike Cherry, marketing director of the University of Utah Bookstore.
There were a lot of exciting games at Rice Eccles Stadium between 2002 and last season, including the undefeated seasons in 2004 and 2008.
The old turf took quite a beating over the years, so the school recently installed a new surface on the football field, which will be ready for the upcoming season.
As for the old turf? "It will go on sale July 1st at 8 a.m. here at the bookstore. And with the number of people asking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't have a few people camping out at our doors," Cherry said.
Three hundred and fifty pieces of the turf will go on sale for $99 each. They're about 10-by-13 inches in size and will be placed into a custom-made wooden box. Some are solid green; others have a yard line stripe through them.
Each piece comes with a certificate of authenticity and is numbered. A certificate inside is also signed by Rice Eccles Stadium Director Mark Burk.
Cherry says students and bookstore employees will begin assembling the turf boxes next week. Based on the phone calls he's getting, about three to five each day, Cherry believes they'll sell out in no time.
For Ute fans who like collecting sports memorabilia, this is something fun and unusual. These limited-edition items will be on sale at the bookstore only; there's a limit of one per person.
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
