“Blue turf in my bathroom?”: How memorabilia fits in the financial world of college sports

Boise State University took the phrase “cutting a rug” to new heights this past week, selling their football dance floor of iconic blue turf online as they prepare for a new field surface to be installed in June.

An auction that appeared as clever fan service for the Bronco community quickly cranked up the dial, with a $25,000 purchase for 400 square feet of “Smurf Turf” in just Boise’s first “drop” of purchasable field.

Is it crazy? Depends who you ask. This is not an article on interior design. If you want turf in your living room, be my guest.

This turf sale has caught fire when it comes to headlines and social media engagement, but in reality, this is likely the norm for athletic programs in a cash-hungry college sports era.

Boise State athletic director Jeremiah Dickey said in a statement about the power of Boise’s blue turf across the state, and how they wanted to share this iconic state staple with the fans.

Dickey also told The Athletic that they need more money with their PAC-12 move right on the doorstep, and in reality, this is a “low-hanging fruit” move as the school changes the turf out anyway every seven to nine years.

Is Dickey and Co. pulling a fast one over the Boise faithful? That is not their intent, but even if it were, fans would still line up in droves to get a field divot of their dreams.

Taking a deeper look into the psychology of the sports fan, specifically the sports collector, multiple factors make a person turn hard-earned money into miscellaneous memorabilia.

Sports can be quite the emotional vehicle, and with that, any piece of these historic moments goes from nothing to something overnight. This is the turf Ashton Jeanty ran across in his Heisman finalist season, specifically for that one touchdown where I was at the game? Gotta have it.

Another element is a feeling of belonging and identity. If you are a San Diego State Aztec diehard, you want to look the part. Of course, I will bid on a deep-sea fishing trip with football head coach Sean Lewis, or a golf round with two Aztec players, on top of all the signed footballs and other merchandise up for auction (these are all real, by the way).

“By fortifying the relationship between Aztec Athletics and our community, we are committed to delivering essential resources that will elevate the student-athlete experience, attract top talent, and ensure the long-term success of our program.” SDSU Athletics said online.

Finally, fans enjoy the thrill of the chase, which Albuquerque saw at the University of New Mexico spring game for football.