View Full Version : The Largest Scoreboard in pro sports
Elvis
08-30-2007, 05:37 PM
PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks are planning to install a new high-definition Jumbotron that the club says will be the largest in pro sports.
The board, which will cost an estimated $10 million to $12 million, will be 144 feet wide and 55 feet high, and it is expected to be ready for next season's opener. It would be 900 square feet larger than the biggest existing board, at Atlanta's Turner Field.
"This is an important addition to an already fan-friendly ballpark," Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall said. "Fans will have a difficult time taking their eyes off of the crystal clear picture before them."
Hall said the board would be paid for by Maricopa County, which owns the building.
nymdan
08-30-2007, 05:45 PM
Interesting. I guess the screen will be as big as the entire scoreboard is now?
http://schlagging.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/chase_field.jpg
Onemoredayatshea27
08-30-2007, 05:50 PM
Shouldn't the game be watched on the field, and not on a jumbotron IMAX theater?
"Fans will have a difficult time taking their eyes off of the crystal clear picture before them."
That sounds creepy.
Elvis
08-30-2007, 06:24 PM
That sounds creepy.
This will include subliminal messages flashed at 1/1000th/sec that say:
BUY MORE FOOD
BUY MORE SOUVENIRS
BUY SEASON TICKETS
REDRUM
marlins739
08-30-2007, 06:44 PM
Good for them, the new video boards are pretty cool to see in person, like the new ones they put in at Dolphin Stadium last year and a few other parks, like Jacobs and Pac Bell, and at least they have a stadium landlord that cares about them. But still, is that really necessary? Chase Field is already a place where the biggest complaint is the non-baseball feel (not that I really felt that way when I was there). It's still a really nice place to watch a game, especially considering how hot it is outside. They should use that money to upgrade the PA system at Chase, you can't hear anything. Or maybe they could donate it all to the Marlins ballpark fund
BigMac1212
08-30-2007, 06:47 PM
One of the problems is that Chase Field uses Sony Jumbotron equipment. That was discontinued several years ago.
Personally, it's needed. The soreboard is in need of a massive overhaul.
Williamsburg2599
08-30-2007, 07:29 PM
I think the real question is "Who's the first one to dent it?"
bosoxgo
08-31-2007, 01:21 PM
i dont no if your just talking about baseball scoreboards but the dallas cowboys are gonna have a lager one its gonna be 60 yards long and 50 feet tall
http://bizoffootball.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/BowlScoreboard1000x750.jpg
zengator
08-31-2007, 01:37 PM
This will include subliminal messages flashed at 1/1000th/sec that say:
BUY MORE FOOD
BUY MORE SOUVENIRS
BUY SEASON TICKETS
REDRUM
:laugh at "REDRUM"
That's quite a big screen in the Cowboys' new digs. Too bad Emmitt won't be suiting up in there.
And what's with those seat being held up by little poles waaaaay up behind the end zone??? Wouldn't get me up there! :eek:
Elvis
08-31-2007, 11:00 PM
i dont no if your just talking about baseball scoreboards but the dallas cowboys are gonna have a lager one its gonna be 60 yards long and 50 feet tall
GEEZ!! I've never seen upper deck seats that high before! The top of the upper deck looks 150 ft from the field! :crazy :disbelief:
bosoxgo
09-01-2007, 07:38 AM
GEEZ!! I've never seen upper deck seats that high before! The top of the upper deck looks 150 ft from the field!
yea its a little rediculas if you get one of those seats you spent 50 bucks to watch the game on tv
Seattle1
09-01-2007, 11:32 AM
yea its a little rediculas if you get one of those seats you spent 50 bucks to watch the game on tv
That stadium is going to be a disgusting monstrosity.
:(
placount
09-01-2007, 12:00 PM
GEEZ!! I've never seen upper deck seats that high before! The top of the upper deck looks 150 ft from the field! :crazy :disbelief:
it seems totally unnecessary too... they coulda moved those super high seats to the less desirable endzone thats left open air and the fans would be closer to the action.
nymdan
03-20-2008, 08:33 PM
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2344942586_e263e5e07a.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leakas/2344942586/sizes/l/
stlfan
03-20-2008, 08:55 PM
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2344942586_e263e5e07a.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leakas/2344942586/sizes/l/
That is F-ing rediculous!
NYBase
03-20-2008, 10:08 PM
The Royals will have one that's 105 tall by 85 wide.
Shorter than Arizona's but wider, remember that Dbacks will be horizontal and the Royals is vertical for the crown vision deal.
http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/kc/ballpark/renovation_model_info.jsp
nymdan
03-21-2008, 08:27 PM
Here's a picture I took of the old scoreboard at Chase Field. Didn't realize I had taken a closeup.
http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9731/arizona06403mv9.jpg
BigMac1212
03-22-2008, 12:20 AM
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2344942586_e263e5e07a.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leakas/2344942586/sizes/l/
Can't wait to see that baby in action.
Jpiarull
03-22-2008, 12:14 PM
i dont no if your just talking about baseball scoreboards but the dallas cowboys are gonna have a lager one its gonna be 60 yards long and 50 feet tall
http://bizoffootball.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/BowlScoreboard1000x750.jpg
Won't punters and kickers have a problem with the scoreboard overhanging that low to the playing field? I know kickers in the AFL have that problem since they play in hockey/basketball arenas. Anyway, is the new scoreboard for the Diamondbacks High-Definition?
jimmyjimjimz
03-22-2008, 12:22 PM
Won't punters and kickers have a problem with the scoreboard overhanging that low to the playing field? I know kickers in the AFL have that problem since they play in hockey/basketball arenas. Anyway, is the new scoreboard for the Diamondbacks High-Definition?
I'd assume it is. Technology is changing next year, and everything is eventually gonna be high-def by the end of next year. That's what my uncle told me.
willisraverchk77
03-22-2008, 12:29 PM
I'd assume it is. Technology is changing next year, and everything is eventually gonna be high-def by the end of next year. That's what my uncle told me.
um, please explain "everything" is going to be HD next year. :noidea
soxnut67
03-22-2008, 12:34 PM
Can't wait to see that baby in action.
The old scorebaord was so much better. The Arizona Republic sign and the analog clock really made it classic.
For some reason I hate it when sports teams use equipment in their logos, such as:
extra large home plates.
crossed bats
oversized balls, pucks, sticks, bats
I find it to be really cheezy.
stejay
03-22-2008, 12:37 PM
i dont no if your just talking about baseball scoreboards but the dallas cowboys are gonna have a lager one its gonna be 60 yards long and 50 feet tall
http://bizoffootball.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/BowlScoreboard1000x750.jpg
Are they going to cover the top seats, obstructing the view???????:noidea
stejay
03-22-2008, 12:38 PM
I'd assume it is. Technology is changing next year, and everything is eventually gonna be high-def by the end of next year. That's what my uncle told me.
I do not believe that. There is too much to lose for the TV companies to introduce JUST HD. Baseball scoreboards, a huge possibilty. But not everything.
nymdan
03-22-2008, 12:44 PM
I think what jimmyjimjimz is referring to is the switch from analog broadcasting to digital in 2009. But that's not the same thing as HD.
EdTarbusz
03-22-2008, 12:47 PM
For several years, Jacobs Field was supposed to have had the largest free-standing scoreboard in North America. I don't know if it was or not, but most of the scoreboard was wasted space, in my opinion. The Jumbotron hardly ever showed anything of interest, mainly showing pics of the players, and close-ups of fans. It hardly ever showed any kind of game action. In the line-up section it also had to shorten Paul Assenmacher's name, which the local media liked to bring up. The scoreboard also had a tendency to break down in rainy weather.
I don't think a high tech scoreboard is much of an improvement over the Wrigley Field scorebord.
EdTarbusz
03-22-2008, 12:51 PM
um, please explain "everything" is going to be HD next year. :noidea
I don't know about everything, but broadcast TV is going to all HD in 2009.
nymdan
03-22-2008, 12:51 PM
I don't know about everything, but broadcast TV is going to all HD in 2009.
Not HD. Digital.
EdTarbusz
03-22-2008, 12:58 PM
Not HD. Digital.
You're right. Digital was what I about edit into my response.
jimmyjimjimz
03-22-2008, 03:35 PM
I think what jimmyjimjimz is referring to is the switch from analog broadcasting to digital in 2009. But that's not the same thing as HD.
Oh. When my uncle told me he made it sound like if you don't have a HDTV, your TV isn't gonna work, and if you don't have cable, your TV isn't gonna work
Chevy114
03-24-2008, 06:24 AM
Sounds like a good idea to me, some of the between innings stuff on the jumbo trons are cool and the replays are good too, so having a big screen would be nice to see.
nymdan
03-24-2008, 08:29 AM
Oh. When my uncle told me he made it sound like if you don't have a HDTV, your TV isn't gonna work, and if you don't have cable, your TV isn't gonna work
No. If you get an over the air signal and don't have a digital converter box, your TV isn't going to work. You'll also need a digital box if you have cable, though the dates for that are set by the individual cable companies.
Ferragamo
03-24-2008, 06:27 PM
That new board that there installing for the D-Backs at Chase Field is going to be tremendous, talk about massive.
Anyone know what the deal is with the boards over at Citi-Field? I thought I heard that they were bringing the existing one over from Shea, which I think is a bad idea. Why invest all that money in a nice new park and then you have an old TV Board in centerfield? They really need to invest in a nice new widescreen high def board, something like they have in the Nationals new park.
wvkeeper
03-24-2008, 06:46 PM
Yet another reason small-town Baseball is better than Major League Television.
Gary Dunaier
03-24-2008, 09:16 PM
Anyone know what the deal is with the boards over at Citi-Field? I thought I heard that they were bringing the existing one over from Shea, which I think is a bad idea.
No, that's not going to happen. I think I read somewhere here at the Baseball Fever that someone said they'd like to see the Mets do that; perhaps you saw that as well, but somehow got confused and thought they were seriously considering it. Not gonna happen.
nymdan
03-25-2008, 04:56 AM
No, that's not going to happen. I think I read somewhere here at the Baseball Fever that someone said they'd like to see the Mets do that; perhaps you saw that as well, but somehow got confused and thought they were seriously considering it. Not gonna happen.
Bringing the exiting Diamondvision board was listed in the Citi Field plans as a possible cost-cutting measure.
btown12
03-25-2008, 03:39 PM
Not pro sports, but here's some photos of the University of Texas' "Godzillatron".
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/278852883_040e9635d2_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/98/240148473_de446edba7.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/85/248671070_63958667d4.jpg
Apparently the ones at Dolphin stadium have a larger diagonal measurement but not as big of a surface area. The ads on there are of course digital, and personally I don't see what the point of having such a large screen is if you're just going to cover the edge with ads anyway.
Regardless, here's the wikipedia article if you're interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzillatron
BeatEmBucs
03-25-2008, 05:31 PM
Wow gozilla-tron is an appropriate description. Is that board 7 stories high? I'm guessing the ads are just to pay the electric bill alone. I like how they have descriptions of the action in the upper left corner of the screen. For some reason, I can't see a godzilla-tron making it to an MLB ballpark. I think the Chase Field and Turner Field boards will be as close as they can get. I wouldn't mind seeing if they can convert the whole LF bleacher board at the Jake to one of those kind of screens.
BigMac1212
03-26-2008, 02:18 PM
Here's a preview from the manufactur's website:
http://www.daktronics.com/profiles/DD1319658.jpg
btown12
03-27-2008, 11:59 AM
I'm curious as to what kind of damage a baseball would do to one of those screens? Obviously in most parks the video board is not in danger of being hit by a home run ball, but I know Richie Sexson hit one off the old board in AZ, think Ryan Howard may have done it as well.
Wonder how expensive of a home run that would be!
bleacherbum73
03-27-2008, 01:56 PM
I'm curious as to what kind of damage a baseball would do to one of those screens? Obviously in most parks the video board is not in danger of being hit by a home run ball, but I know Richie Sexson hit one off the old board in AZ, think Ryan Howard may have done it as well.
Wonder how expensive of a home run that would be!
I remember Mark McGuire hit one off the scoreboard in Ariz. for the Cards in '98 and I heard it cost $25,000 to repair the damage. I don't know if it was the main board or an auxilliary one, but i remember TV showing a chunk of the board coming off after the ball hit it, and later TV replays showing the damage.
(insert steroid jokes here, lol !!! )
Aviator_Frank
03-27-2008, 02:16 PM
McGuire knocked out the Front Row Fridays neon sign in left field, and they left it that way for quite a while, maybe even the remainder of the season.
Sexson hit the scoreboard's Sony Jumbotron and knocked out a small section of colored LEDs or whatever it is that was used at the time. That was funny; he came to AZ as part of a 6-player deal, got hurt 22 games later then didn't re-sign in the offseason. So all the DBacks got out of that deal was a loss of 6 players in the trade and a busted scoreboard.
crazyhorsesghost
03-28-2008, 12:46 AM
I'm curious as to what kind of damage a baseball would do to one of those screens? Obviously in most parks the video board is not in danger of being hit by a home run ball, but I know Richie Sexson hit one off the old board in AZ, think Ryan Howard may have done it as well.
Wonder how expensive of a home run that would be!
Interesting question and yes I also have often wondered about just that.
btown12
03-28-2008, 09:04 AM
Interesting question and yes I also have often wondered about just that.
The only other stadium I can think of where it might even be an issue would be Miller Park. I've got to figure that damage to an HD LCD/Plasma/whatever screen is much more expensive than the old style of video boards. Maybe it's not because there's not individual bulbs or led's that can be broken and it would only dent it?
I'm not too familiar with all the technology of these video boards so if anyone can help out that would be great!
thechefs2003
03-28-2008, 10:16 AM
The new board in KC looks pretty big to me....
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a188/thechefs2003/1206714273401.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a188/thechefs2003/1206721208417.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a188/thechefs2003/1206721211182.jpg
stlfan
03-28-2008, 10:20 AM
The new board in KC looks pretty big to new....
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a188/thechefs2003/1206714273401.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a188/thechefs2003/1206721208417.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a188/thechefs2003/1206721211182.jpg
Holy Crap! I can't wait to check that out in person.
btown12
03-28-2008, 11:26 AM
Wow, that board is insane. I love that they kept the shape of the scoreboard instead of switching to a normal "widescreen" look.
thechefs2003
03-28-2008, 11:38 AM
Wow, that board is insane. I love that they kept the shape of the scoreboard instead of switching to a normal "widescreen" look.
Yep, I think eventually they are going to put the crown at the top similar to the old one.
efin98
03-28-2008, 02:28 PM
Yep, I think eventually they are going to put the crown at the top similar to the old one.
Doesn't look right without one up on top
I really don't like to be a downer, but is the sudden instillation of the mega scoreboards bother anybody? The attention should be on the field, not at Rightfield, Leftfield or Centerfield where the scoreboards are at. True, they look awesome, but I think it's wasted space for fancier advertising.
BeatEmBucs
03-29-2008, 07:47 AM
I really don't like to be a downer, but is the sudden instillation of the mega scoreboards bother anybody? The attention should be on the field, not at Rightfield, Leftfield or Centerfield where the scoreboards are at. True, they look awesome, but I think it's wasted space for fancier advertising.
I'm sure people felt the same way in the 50's and 60's when manual scoreboards were replaced by electronic boards. I remember when putting a dot-matrix picture of a player on the board was considered a "revolutionary" concept. The best thing about the mega-boards is that the advertising can be changed constantly. Of course one major sponsor could concieveably buy the ad rights to the board and hawk 9 of their products per game (i.e 1st inning is the pepsi inning, 2nd is the diet pepsi inning, 3rd is the Sierra Mist inning and so on)
Gary Dunaier
03-29-2008, 09:20 AM
I really don't like to be a downer, but is the sudden instillation of the mega scoreboards bother anybody? The attention should be on the field, not at Rightfield, Leftfield or Centerfield where the scoreboards are at. True, they look awesome, but I think it's wasted space for fancier advertising.
I'm sure people felt the same way in the 50's and 60's when manual scoreboards were replaced by electronic boards. I remember when putting a dot-matrix picture of a player on the board was considered a "revolutionary" concept. The best thing about the mega-boards is that the advertising can be changed constantly. Of course one major sponsor could concieveably buy the ad rights to the board and hawk 9 of their products per game (i.e 1st inning is the pepsi inning, 2nd is the diet pepsi inning, 3rd is the Sierra Mist inning and so on)
I think I've always been more into the ancillary parts of the game than the game itself... I could never get into one of those "if Jose Reyes changed his batting stance 1/14th of an inch he'd be able to increase his batting average by 0.032 against lefthanders in ballparks whose naming rights were bought by corporations that make consumable consumer products" conversations.
As a youth, I think I spent most of my time looking at the scoreboard - in my case, we're talking about the Shea Stadium scoreboard of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
I prided myself on being able to tell what year a photo at Shea was taken by seeing what ads were on the scoreboard. Of course, with the advent of tri-panel advertising signage, that made it a little more difficult.
EdTarbusz
03-29-2008, 10:21 AM
I'm sure people felt the same way in the 50's and 60's when manual scoreboards were replaced by electronic boards. I remember when putting a dot-matrix picture of a player on the board was considered a "revolutionary" concept. The best thing about the mega-boards is that the advertising can be changed constantly. Of course one major sponsor could concieveably buy the ad rights to the board and hawk 9 of their products per game (i.e 1st inning is the pepsi inning, 2nd is the diet pepsi inning, 3rd is the Sierra Mist inning and so on)
I don't think it's really the same thing. The electronic boards were generally about the same size as the manual scoreboards. The size of these new boards is ridiculous. They could give the same info and be 2/3rds smaller. I guess if you like seeing players pictures, ads, cup races and shots of little kids, the new scoreboards are a great thing.
I don't think it's really the same thing. The electronic boards were generally about the same size as the manual scoreboards. The size of these new boards is ridiculous. They could give the same info and be 2/3rds smaller. I guess if you like seeing players pictures, ads, cup races and shots of little kids, the new scoreboards are a great thing.
I haven't paid much attention to this before, but the new setup at Camden Yards really detracts from the park's design. It overpowers the view.
What would happen if....and I really don't know if this is an actuallity in the waiting, Wrigley Field's scoreboard replaced by an HD Video board. How would fans react??
I guess what Im getting at is at one time ballparks were recognized for distinguishing features including the scoreboard. Each park had a unique scoreboard.....Comisky had the exploding scoreboard, Fenway has the leftfield manual scoreboard, Anaheim Stadium had the Big A, Shea has the I believe tallest scoreboard or at least had the tallest scoreboard in the major leagues, and so on....
Now, everybody is getting the same Daktronic Pro Star Display and getting it bigger than a previous park.
To me, there are three scoreboards worth a damn - Wrigley's, the left field board at Fenway and the out-of-town board at PNC Park. I would riot if any of the three were ripped out, but I don't know how many would join me.
Aside from that, I think every park should have a dedicated, prominent out-of-town board. Boards in new parks as well as replacements in old parks are trending toward HD boards that show scores only intermittently, and that's s shame.
reh303
03-30-2008, 09:53 PM
To me, there are three scoreboards worth a damn - Wrigley's, the left field board at Fenway and the out-of-town board at PNC Park. I would riot if any of the three were ripped out, but I don't know how many would join me.
Aside from that, I think every park should have a dedicated, prominent out-of-town board. Boards in new parks as well as replacements in old parks are trending toward HD boards that show scores only intermittently, and that's s shame.
I'm looking forward to a large scale dedicated out of town scoreboard at the new Yankee Stadium. Right now, they have a small one that displays 3 games at a time, and they display scores one at a time on the (relatively new) LED boards. Frustrating in a pennant race.
spark240
03-30-2008, 11:26 PM
The best thing about the mega-boards is that the advertising can be changed constantly.
Is this a joke?
NYBase
04-07-2008, 12:23 PM
From the Royals.com webcam
It's neat.
I admit, it looks cool...just kind of big...do you really need it to be that big????
Chevy114
04-07-2008, 09:14 PM
are they going to put the crown on the KC scoreboard like the old one???
HollandsComet
04-07-2008, 09:30 PM
are they going to put the crown on the KC scoreboard like the old one???
Yes, they are, but not until 2009, for some reason. By that time, the rest of the renovations should be complete as well...
donut726
04-07-2008, 09:32 PM
I'm looking forward to a large scale dedicated out of town scoreboard at the new Yankee Stadium. Right now, they have a small one that displays 3 games at a time, and they display scores one at a time on the (relatively new) LED boards. Frustrating in a pennant race.
well, the new stadium has an LED ribbon that surrounds the entire grandstand, so i'm sure that will be put to good use
Chevy114
04-07-2008, 09:32 PM
It kind of looks stupid or incomplete with the crown, but that might just be me.
efin98
04-07-2008, 10:14 PM
Yes, they are, but not until 2009, for some reason. By that time, the rest of the renovations should be complete as well...
Waiting until the end to be their crowning achievement? :rofl: