Feb 24, 2013

Those video scoreboards just keep getting bigger

Here's a round-up for my Wednesday morning class of some of the latest and greatest video scoreboards in North America.


The Tampa Bay Lightning introduced a massive 28'x50' centrehung video scoreboard this season. (Not that their old one was small -- it was already one of the biggest in the league at 16'x28'.) The sides facing the end zones are a narrow 28'x20'. It's a Daktronics board.  The shot above is a mock-up. Here's a video showing the scoreboard in action.


Quite a similar design in Houston at the Toyota Center where the Rockets play.  This one is 25'x58' feet, so just a bit bigger than the one in Tampa Bay. It's a Panasonic board and they claim it's the "largest combined viewing area of any indoor center-hung scoreboard currently used in the U.S." Here's more about the installation. And here's a video. (Look at all those stats!)



Meanwhile in the MLB, the Seattle Mariners claim that they will have the biggest scoreboard in baseball this year.  56.7' x 201.5 feet wide.  That's as wide as an NHL rink. "The viewing area will be equal to about 2,182 42-inch flat screen TVs." It's being made by Panasonic.

An article on the Mariners web site also offers these stats on other large video displays in MLB:
Comparison to MLB Video Screens
Safeco Field, Seattle Mariners: 56.7' x 201.5' - 11,425 sq. ft.
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City Royals: 105 x 84' - 8,820 sq. ft.
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia Phillies: 76' x 97' - 7,372 sq. ft.
Minute Maid Park, Houston Astros: 124' x 54' - 6,696 sq. ft.
Comerica Park, Detroit Tigers: 94' x 65' - 6,110 sq. ft.
Bonus stat (Cowboys Stadium, Ft. Worth, Texas: 160' x 72' - 11,520 sq. ft.)


Reliant Stadium (home of the Houston Texans) will lay claim to the widest scoreboard in pro sports, when they unveil a board measuring 52.49'x277.17'. They're hoping it will help them win a bid to host the Super Bowl.  Manufactured by Mitsubishi.

I don't know the source of this infographic or how accurate it is but it's a decent visual to compare the different stadiums.




What other big scoreboards are being installed this year?

Feb 17, 2013

Bill Veeck's 1964 vision of "The Perfect Ballpark"

This was posted earlier today on J.W. Cannon's Twitter feed. He says it's from a 1964 edition of Popular Science. 

"How Bill Veeck Would Build The Perfect Ball Park".
Foam cushion seats! A retractable dome! Giant scoreboard and tv screen!

(Click for full size.)

Feb 16, 2013

Today in disgusting stadium food: Chocolate-bacon milkshake

Seen on Darren Rovell's twitter feed:

Feb 15, 2013

Great mascot photo featuring Harvey the Hound (Calgary Flames)

From the Twitter feed of @Kristin_Hallett:

Vancouver Canucks ask fans to help them choose a new entrance song

I'm not a fan of some of the songs they've shortlisted (can we please move on from Welcome to the Jungle?!), but the execution here is good: "Project NU2".
  • The House that Heaven Built – Japandroids
  • We Are – Static in the Stars
  • Burn it to the Ground – Nickelback
  • Welcome to the Jungle – Guns & Roses
  • A Warrior’s Call – Volbeat
  • Stockholm – DJ MEG

"A few weeks ago we launched Project NU2, the official Vancouver Canucks hunt for a new entrance song. We laid out criteria for what the team is looking for in a fresh tune and then opened the floor to you, our beloved fans. 
We received 2,853 submissions and the range of music was phenomenal; from The Who, Sam Roberts, April Wine and Toby Mac to Queen, The Hives, The Wallflowers and the Cobra Skulls, there was something for everyone – and yet the debate rages on. 
After carefully sifting through the results (well, not me personally, I’d play Foo Fighters every game as the intro, goal song and between periods!) we’ve gathered the top six songs, as determined by you, and we’re putting it to another vote."

(Thanks CC for the pointer.)