Winston-Salem State AD Apologizes After Crooked Field Markings Go Viral

Winston-Salem State University's athletic director, Eric Burns, issued an apology after a video of improperly painted football field hash marks at Bowman Gray Stadium went viral.

The video, which gained over 2 million views on TikTok, shows a stadium worker creating jagged and uneven hash marks along the sidelines. The clip also depicts the worker taking unusually large steps between marks, further highlighting the haphazard preparation.

"The field markings at our last home game fell short of WSSU athletics' standards, and I take responsibility," Burns said in a social media statement. "We've secured additional field preparation support and implemented new checks to ensure this is addressed before our next home game. Our student-athletes and Ram Nation deserve the highest standard, and we are committed to meeting it every time."

Bowman Gray Stadium, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is a unique venue that has hosted NASCAR-sanctioned stock car racing since 1949. The quarter-mile track surrounds the football field used by the Winston-Salem State Rams. Wake Forest University also previously used the stadium for its football games before building a new facility.

The questionable field markings drew significant attention and criticism online, with many users expressing disbelief that a college football game was played under such conditions. The incident has prompted the university to review its field preparation procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.