Arkansas, South Carolina Upgrade Stadiums With New Video Boards

The Univ. of Arkansas has partnered with LSI Industries to provide a new video display to the north end zone inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Smartvision LED video display will measure 38 feet by 167 feet and cost $4.6M. Included as part of the deal are LED stadium identification signs as well as new game clocks and play clocks on the north and south ends of the stadium (Univ. of Arkansas). Meanwhile, in Columbia, Ron Morris noted the “massive new video board that now hovers over most of the north end zone of Williams-Brice Stadium" has much to do with the Univ of South Carolina's need for "keeping up with the Joneses of the SEC.” Of “equal importance” to South Carolina when its $6.5M video board “operates for the first time during the Gamecocks’ Sept. 8 home-opener against East Carolina is creating a better game-day experience for fans.” South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier said of the new video board, “It will add a bit. As we all know, in college sports, we’re all on TV almost every game. So we’re trying to enhance the game for the fans who come to the ballpark.” The board is 36-feet high and 124-feet wide. The $6.5M price tag “includes the steel structure, the board, the control room and equipment to run the board, and the metal panels that make it look attractive” (Columbia STATE, 8/21).

LARGEST VIDEO BOARDS IN COLLEGE SPORTS
SCHOOL	STADIUM	DIMENSIONS (FEET)	ADDED
Texas	Darrell K. Royal Stadium	134 x 55.5	2006
Miami	Sun Life Stadium	138.5 x 48.5	2006
Arkansas	Reynolds Razorback Stadium	167 x 38	2012
USC	L.A. Coliseum	150 x 40	2011
Michigan State	Spartan Stadium	114.8 x 47.2	2012
Arizona	Arizona Stadium	113.4 x 47.2	2011
Mississippi State	Davis Wade Stadium	111 x 47	2008
Minnesota	TCF Bank Stadium	108 x 48	2009
Oklahoma	Gaylord Family Stadium	166 x 31	2008
Tennessee	Neyland Stadium	124 x 37	2008
South Carolina	Williams-Brice Stadium	124 x 36	2012
Florida	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium	136 x 29.5	2009

AN ADDED GEM: In Tampa, Alexis Muellner notes by Labor Day, the “puzzle pieces that make up the Tampa Bay Lightning’s new 34-ton high-definition scoreboard" at Tampa Bay Times Forum will start arriving. Lightning COO Steve Griggs said, “It is the chandelier of the building.” When installed, the $5M scoreboard “will cap $42 million of investment” in the arena by Lightning Owner Jeff Vinik, and “will be the largest center-hung scoreboard of its kind in North America.” The scoreboard “won’t get the venue more events,” but the team will “now have a huge new digital canvas for video, animation, graphics, scores and stats.” It also "brings big value to sponsors for the ways their messages can be crafted.” Griggs said that price increases “are possible but won’t happen without a lot of thought and assuredness that the Lightning is bringing commensurate value to partners.” Griggs: “We’re cognizant at [the] end of the day about how the economy is, and that we need to activate these brands, not gouge people” (TAMPA BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/17 issue).