The team finals event showcased the Championship and Trophy Finals across 16 league sports on 18-19 March 2025.
For over 40 years, Loughborough University has set the standard for sporting excellence in higher education, winning 43 BUCS titles in a row - incredibly, the only ever university to be BUCS Champions. A key factor in this incredible success is their decade-long partnership with SIS Pitches. By providing world-class sports surfaces, SIS Pitches support both player development and the high demand from the university’s 19,000 sports-loving students.
World Leading Sports Surfaces
SIS Pitches is a global sports surface company based in Cumbria, UK. They specialise in the design, manufacture, construction, and maintenance of synthetic, hybrid, and natural grass sports surfaces, as well as padel and tennis courts and athletics surfaces.
SIS Pitches has been supporting UK universities for over 20 years, from installing hybrid cricket wickets at Nottingham Trent University to maintaining facilities at the University of Brighton. With experience spanning grassroots sports to the Premier League and World Cup tournaments, they provide universities with innovative, durable, and high-performance surfaces that aid both athlete development and sporting excellence.
Purpose of this Case Study
This case study will explore the work completed at Loughborough University over the past ten years. Loughborough University have gone on record to highlight the benefits of having a single-source sports surface partner capable of developing and manufacturing sports surfaces inhouse, constructing and building new facilities, as well as providing maintenance aftercare to all kinds of sports surfaces.
SIS Pitches Installations at Loughborough University
Since the first installation in 2015, SIS Pitches has constructed and installed nine sports surfaces for football, rugby, hockey, cricket, and multi-use game areas (MUGAs). These surfaces have been a variety of synthetic and hybrid, with some being innovative and the first of their kind at the time of installation. A selection of these surfaces played host to a large majority of the 58 teams who competed at BUCS Big Wednesday 2025.
Name & Location: Loughborough University Stadium Pitch
Installation Date: 2019
Product Used: SIS Grass Hybrid
Loughborough’s stadium pitch required a surface that could withstand heavy usage while maintaining elite performance standards. SIS Pitches installed a SIS Grass Hybrid surface, a technology previously used in the FIFA World Cup, to ensure year-round playability and durability.
The result? A pitch that offers up to three times more usage than natural grass, allowing Loughborough’s football teams to train and compete without concerns over wear and tear and the quicker recovery of the surface. This pitch is regularly used by professional and youth teams throughout the year, with recent names such as AS Monaco, Nottingham Forest, and Celtic FC taking to the field.
Name & Location: 3G Football Pitch (Holywell 4)
Installation Date: 2019
Product Used: SIS Grass Synthetic Xtreme Ultra & Rubber Crumb
Certifications & Standards: FIFA Quality Pro & World Rugby
The Holywell 4 3G pitch at Loughborough University was designed to meet the needs of footballers at all levels, from grassroots development to elite performance. Durability and a high-performing surface were key considerations, ensuring that the pitch could support intense training schedules and competitive matches year-round. This facility plays a crucial role in Loughborough’s football program, providing athletes with a surface for year-round play.
Name & Location: Holywell 1&2 Football Goalmouths
Installation Date: 2024
Product Used: SIS Grass Hybrid
SIS Pitches installed SIS Grass Hybrid in high-use areas of the pitch, such as goalmouths, to reinforce the surface and ensure consistency across the field. A common misconception is that hybrid grass must be installed throughout an entire pitch, but in reality, it is often used to target problem areas in lower-league clubs, universities, training facilities, and professional stadiums.
Name & Location: 3G Rugby (First XV Pitch)
Installation Date: 2015
Product Used: SIS Grass Synthetic | Rugger
Rugby demands a surface that can withstand high-impact play while ensuring durability and player safety. To meet these demands, SIS Pitches installed the First XV 3G Rugby Pitch at Loughborough University using the SIS Grass Synthetic Rugger surface. Specifically designed for elite rugby, it offers a durable, weather-resistant alternative to natural grass.
This facility quickly became a key asset for Loughborough’s rugby program, enabling teams to train and compete consistently year-round. Open for student use throughout the day, the pitch experiences significant wear and tear. Now, a decade later, SIS Pitches is set to upgrade the facility in the summer of 2025.
“The artificial surface should suit our style of rugby as the pitch is fast and very consistent in terms of foot placement and the way the ball reacts, regardless of the weather. In a wider context across campus, the pitch can now be used extensively, much to the benefit of players across the whole spectrum of rugby.” - Director of Rugby, Loughborough University
Name & Location: Hybrid Cricket Wickets (ECB Performance Centre)
Installation Date: 2017
Product Used: SIS Grass Hybrid
The ECB Performance Centre at Loughborough University was the first in the world to install the revolutionary hybrid grass system for cricket. Years later, the wickets continue to deliver exceptional performance, reinforcing their long-term value.
Like in football, hybrid grass significantly increases pitch usage, allowing up to three times more play than a natural grass cricket wicket. This enables venues to accommodate more players and grow the game.
A common misconception is that advanced surface technology like this is a short-term solution, affordable only for professional clubs. However, this surface is now in its eighth year, and professional sports clubs worldwide have maintained SIS Grass Hybrid pitches for even longer.
Name & Location: ECB Performance Indoor Cricket Centre
Installation Date: 2021
Product Used: SIS Grass Synthetic
Following the successful install of the hybrid wickets, SIS Pitches returned to the ECB Performance Centre, upgrading the surface, netting, and lighting of their indoor training facility on campus.
Name & Location: American Football 3G Field
Installation Date: 2023
Certifications & Standards: FIFA Quality Pro & World Rugby
Loughborough University is home to the NFL Academy, a program that develops the next generation of American football talent. To support the academy’s demanding training and competition schedule, SIS Pitches transformed an existing 3G football AGP into a high-performance sports surface tailored for American football.
The SIS Grass Synthetic Xtreme Ultra surface was chosen for its durability, player safety, and ability to withstand the physical demands of American football, a sport requiring exceptional traction and impact resistance. Designed to FIFA Quality Pro and World Rugby standards, the field ensures optimal performance also for both football and rugby, making it a versatile asset for Loughborough’s elite sporting programs.
Name & Location: Water-Based Hockey Pitch
Installation Date: 2019
Product Used: SIS Grass Synthetic Xcel Ultra
This water-based hockey pitch was the first of its kind in the UK, setting a new benchmark for elite hockey surfaces. The SIS Grass Synthetic Xcel Ultra surface was installed to deliver exceptional ball speed and uniformity, ensuring a fast and consistent playing experience for athletes up to the highest levels.
Built to FIH Global standards, this pitch has been highly rated by players, with 75% stating it exceeds other pitches they’ve played on. Its high-performance design enables technical 3D skills, reduces surface friction, and provides a world-class surface for training and competition.
Name & Location: Sustainable MUGA (The Games Park)
Installation Date: 2022
Product Used: SIS Grass Synthetic Xtreme 45mm & BrockFill
In response to the growing need for sustainable sports facilities, SIS Pitches partnered with Loughborough University to refurbish an existing 3G pitch with a low-carbon, eco-friendly solution. The project tracked carbon emissions throughout construction and utilised a recycled shock pad and BrockFill infill, making it one of the most sustainable multi-use game areas in the sector. This innovation not only reduces environmental impact but also provides a surface for multiple sports, including football, hockey, and volleyball.
Conclusion
SIS Pitches’ long-standing partnership with Loughborough University has been instrumental in developing the institution’s world-class sporting facilities. Through innovative surface solutions, sustainability initiatives, and a commitment to performance, SIS Pitches supports athletes at all levels on campus, from social participants to Olympic competitors.
At BUCS Big Wednesday 2025, SIS Pitches’ installations once again played a vital role in hosting high-level competition, highlighting the importance of investing in top-tier sporting infrastructure for future generations.
To explore how SIS Pitches can develop your sports facilities, visit the following pages, where interactive 3D animations guide you through the construction of a typical sports surface. Artificial construction and installation, natural grass pitch construction, stitched hybrid installation and maintenance for all sports surfaces.
