The Triple-A Int’l League Charlotte Knights yesterday announced that Toshiba will supply the videoboards and concourse displays at BB&T Ballpark, the team’s new facility opening in April. Knights VP & GM Dan Rajkowski said the total video package is valued at about $3M. Rajkowski added the primary videoboard in left field -- 30 feet tall and 82 feet long -- will be the widest screen in Minor League Baseball. In addition, a smaller screen attached to the ballpark’s exterior will face new Romare Bearden Park to promote non-ballpark events. Toshiba has several major league clients but the Knights represent the company’s first minor league sports account. Toshiba also signed a sponsorship with the Knights covering primarily hospitality with use of a suite. TSE, a software consultant, is designing the videoboard control room and is Toshiba’s partner in the project. BB&T Ballpark opens April 11 when the Knights host the Norfolk Tides (Don Muret, Staff Writer). In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg noted a gameday crew of 12-14 people will run the various videoboards, "including a 14-by-35-foot exterior video board and an 8-by-120-foot ribbon board along the right-field wall." The upper-level facades will "feature two 3-by-32 1/2-foot ribbon displays, and another board will be installed in the stadium’s ticket plaza." Between 100 to 140 Toshiba-brand HDTVs "will line concourses, club areas and luxury suites." Concessions menus also "will be digital displays," which will be provided by Toshiba (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/9). Rajkowski said that there were "four 'major' bidders for the project, including Daktronics, Panasonic and TS Sports" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/10).
