Venue Spotlight: Sports Performance Center at Texas Tech University

As a part of The Campaign for Fearless Champions, Texas Tech Athletics envisioned an indoor performance venue that could host highly-competitive meets and provide a facility for the athletes to train.  As one of only three indoor track facilities in Texas, The Sports Performance Center offers athletes a 200-meter banked track, 100-yard football field, an athletic training facility and a strength and conditioning center. The new venue sets the stage for the Red Raiders to compete toe-to-toe on their own turf.

With the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championship already booked for 2019, 2021 and 2023, news of the new venue spread quickly. And, it’s no wonder teams are interested in competing in the facility. The track and field portion is 82,500 square feet and offers a 12.2 degree radius on the bank of the track along with 42 inch wide lanes. Basically, the track enables athletes to run faster than before with the additional space. The venue is complete with two high jump pits, two horizontal jump sand pits, two throws rings and a pole vault pit.

The track is positioned side by side with the football practice field but separated by 150 feet wide by 35 feet tall sliding doors resembling that of an aircraft hangar. Known as the Peterson Family Indoor Football Practice Facility, the space is 80 yards with two additional ends zones of 10 yards each with a total of 75,500 square feet.

At the center of the field, the ceiling reaches 65 feet high to provide room for passing and kicking. The east wall offers four translucent doors which provide access to the outdoor practice fields.

PlainsCapital Bank Sports Medicine Center makes up 2,500 square feet of the facility with a 1,600-gallon cold-plunge rehab tub, along with the 7,700 square feet for the strength and conditioning center fit for an Olympic athlete; they would know.

Athletes can also take advantage of the Becky and Kelly Jo Nutrition Center to fuel for practice and competitions.

To set the stage, the facility offers a 17 x 30-foot video board, a 2,950 square feet long translucent wall panel for track and field as well as a 5,030 square feet wall panel for the football side. The facility is also equipped with remote control cameras that allow for practice review.

For a preview of the Sports Performance Center, check out this video from Texas Tech Athletics.