Albany State among four HBCUs to get new football fields

ALBANY – The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation announced Tuesday a $6.5 million investment to refurbish football fields at four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including Albany State University.

Albany State officials said Tuesday morning that they are preparing to provide more details on how these upgrades will be implemented, with an official announcement to follow once plans are finalized.

The upgrades at Albany State University will include replacing the natural grass at Albany State Coliseum and the ASU soccer field with turf.

In addition to Albany State, three other HBCUs will benefit from this grant:

Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, which will replace the current turf at Panther Stadium.

Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, which will convert its practice facility’s natural grass to turf.

Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia, which will replace the turf at the football and soccer field at Ted Wright Stadium.

“The positive impact of athletics is a driving force throughout our portfolio of businesses,” said Rich McKay, CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment and Associate Board Member of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “Arthur Blank and his Family Foundation recognize and prioritize community impact through sport, and supporting these historical institutions is a natural extension of our values. We are honored to partner with LISC, the NFL Foundation, and these universities to enhance the playing surfaces, with the shared goal of creating more opportunities for the students and surrounding communities alike.”

The HBCU Invitational Field Refurbishment Program is an invitational grant initiative aimed at improving field quality, safety, and accessibility for students and local community youth football groups. The program, funded by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation (AMBFF) and supported by the NFL Foundation, was open to select HBCUs in Georgia and Alabama. It was managed by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the nation’s leading community development support organization, which, in partnership with the NFL, has refurbished hundreds of community football fields across the country over the last 25 years.

“The HBCU Invitational Field Refurbishment Program is one of many ways the NFL is deepening its commitment to HBCUs,” said Alexia Gallagher, NFL Vice President of Philanthropy and Executive Director of the NFL Foundation. “We are excited to provide resources for student-athletes at these institutions to play the game of football to the best of their ability while creating equal opportunities for all.”

Michael T. Pugh, president and CEO of LISC, added, “Thanks to the Arthur M. Blank Foundation and the NFL Foundation, we are able to deliver capital and technical expertise to institutions that offer tremendous value to students but may not have the types of endowments that larger universities have. With access to flexible resources, these schools can make updates and upgrades that might not otherwise be possible—creating opportunities that benefit not just the institutions themselves but also improve the health and well-being of students and community members alike.”