US venue score a point with huge scoreboard

Article posted by Coliseum, July 20^th, 2021

Image: Daktronics

The Gillette Stadium (US) is wearing a massive videoboard and lower ribbon board.

The ‘NBC Sports’ stated that the home of the National Football League (NFL) team New England Patriots – Gillette Stadium – has undergone major changes in the form of installing a huge new video scoreboard behind the South end zone. The scoreboard, which is just below the stadium’s row of Super Bowl banners, nearly spans the length of the entire end zone.

The 65,878-capacity Gillette Stadium is a stadium in the Northeastern United States, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 28 miles Southwest of downtown Boston and 20 miles Northeast of downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It opened 19 years ago in 2002, replacing the adjacent Foxboro Stadium. It serves as the home ground of the NFL team New England Patriots, and the Major League Soccer (MLS) team New England Revolution.

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For Patriots fans, looking at highlights on the scoreboard will be a smooth affair now and they do not have to strain their eyes much.

The ‘NBC Sports’ further stated that the old video scoreboard boasted the same height as the new one but definitely wasn’t as wide. The installation of the gigantic scoreboard is definitely an eye-opening technology upgrade.

In the first week of July, when the MLS team New England Revolution hosted its peer team Toronto FC in an MLS match, fans at Gillette Stadium saw the massive video display and lower ribbon board manufactured and set up by Daktronics.

The months-long installation project was recently completed and will provide fans attending games of New England Revolution and New England Patriots highlights and replays on the new 11,595-square-foot, high dynamic range (HDR)-capable video display this summer.

Daktronics is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota (US) that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video displays, scoreboards, digital billboards, dynamic message signs, sound systems, and related products.

Said Kraft Sports and Entertainment Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jim Nola, “We’re proud to extend our partnership with Daktronics to enhance Patriots and Revolution fans’ gameday experience. This new videoboard is best-in-class and we look forward to sharing it with our fans.”

The Kraft Sports + Entertainment, a division of The Kraft Group, oversees marketing, sales, content development, and event operations for the New England Patriots, the New England Revolution, the Boston Uprising of esports’ Overwatch League, and Gillette Stadium.

The new South end zone video display will measure just less than 53 feet high by 220 feet wide, officially providing 11,595 square feet of digital space to engage and entertain fans at multiple events held at the Gillette Stadium. This will be the seventh largest main display in professional football and the second largest in professional soccer.

It features 10-millimeter pixel spacing to deliver crisp, clear imagery to fans in every seat and incorporates industry-leading environmental protection ensuring it operates as expected in the Massachusetts weather.

Commented Daktronics President and CEO, Reece Kurtenbach, “The improved size and resolution of this new video display will ensure fans are receiving the best possible experience that LED technology can provide today. We’re excited to continue our longstanding partnership with Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution. These latest upgrades are sure to have a positive impact on the live event and fan experience for years to come.”

Below the main video display is a ribbon display featuring the same 10-millimeter pixel spacing technology. This display measures just over 3.5 feet high and matches the width of the main display at nearly 220 feet long. This board will be used throughout the year for sponsor activation.

The main display is capable of the latest in LED technology features including variable content zoning. This allows it to show one large image or to be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.

The installation is integrated into the entire production and audiovisual system at Gillette Stadium, which includes multiple existing Daktronics LED displays and Show Control system.

Oversized video scoreboards are all the rage these days – the NFL team Dallas Cowboys’ residence – the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium – boasts the NFL’s biggest board at 160 feet by 72 feet. Going by this, it looks like Robert Kraft (owner of New England Patriots) and the Patriots are just trying to keep up with the times.

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