When fans attend a sporting event – be it a football, baseball or hockey game – they may not know how many different types of paints and coatings are used in a stadium. 

"From the goal posts, to the floors, to the seats, to the helmets, to the handrails, there is a specific coating for nearly every surface fans encounter," said Christopher Welch, PPG marketing and business development director, Protective & Marine Coatings.

PPG coatings have a presence in PPG PAINTS Arena, PNC Park and Heinz Field in Pittsburgh – home of the Penguins, Pirates and Steelers, respectively – SunTrust Park in Atlanta (home of the Braves); Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. (Titans); Citi Field in Queens (N.Y. Mets); the University of Tennessee football stadium; NRG Stadium in Houston (Texans); the Texas A&M football stadium and many more professional sports venues.

"There are a variety of coatings applications for different areas around a stadium, each with their own set of challenges," Welch said. "For example, in PNC Park, the coating on top of the dugouts required an anti-slip coating so that the team’s mascot could safely walk on the platform while engaging fans. The coating needed to have a very low sheen, because a high sheen reflects sun into fans’ eyes. PPG’s experts recommended MEGASEAL HSPC and PPG Paints Break-Through!coatings for this application.
 
"Additionally, sports fans may not know just how much paint is used in these sporting arenas. Approximately 5,000 gallons of paint were used to coat various surfaces at PPG PAINTS Arena."

Due to the different conditions, the applied coatings are not universal from venue to venue.

"For instance, goal posts in the National Hockey League require coatings that provide extreme impact and chip resistance at temperatures as low as -30° F," Welch said. "These features extend the life of the coated goal posts, which are exposed to repeated wear and tear from pucks and skate blades. PPG offers ENVIROCRON Extreme Protection powder coatings for NHL goal posts, which provides outstanding cold chip resistance. This same technology is also used for the most challenging automotive underbody end-uses. 
 
"On the other hand, a goal post in a football stadium is often not subject to the consistent cold-weather impact and abrasion like a hockey goal post," Welch continued. "Regardless, the structure still requires a durable, quick-dry coating that allows teams to get back in the game quickly after maintenance. PPG PAINTS BREAK-THROUGH! paint is a popular choice for this application. The product is a water-borne acrylic that provides excellent adhesion, hardness and block resistance."

Welch cited two reasons behind PPG's relationship and involvement at sports venues.

"First, our innovative coatings solve facilities’ maintenance challenges while also appearing aesthetically pleasing," he said. "In addition, we have built strong relationships with key stadium coatings applicators, maintenance teams, engineers, architects and owners. They value PPG’s technical expertise, service, and support."

As previously mentioned, those coatings can be seen right in the company's backyard.

"PPG is proud to support the communities where it operates," Welch said. "PPG has a deep-rooted history in Pittsburgh, having been founded in Pittsburgh and maintaining its global headquarters in the city for more than 135 years. PPG is proud to provide paints and coatings for all major sports stadiums in the area."




Photos courtesy PPG Paints Arena/PPG