New scoreboard big win for KO
After six years of planning, a new video board has been installed at the Kirkeby-Over Stadium this summer, giving a refreshed appearance to the field and crisp image clarity for players and students.
The Daktronics video board replaced a 15-year-old scoreboard. The upgrade features a “15HD pixel layout” and towers over the endzone at more than 19 feet high and 49 feet wide Daktronics wrote in an official report about the new KO scoreboard.
Josh Morton, vice president of athletics, said they were living on borrowed time. The University has been trying to replace the scoreboard for the past six years and finally gained enough funds for construction through years of fundraising, multiple sponsor opportunities and donors.
“The original video board was from 2009,” Morton said. “Eventually, companies don't make parts for things that break, and, so, as great as it was, we knew we needed to replace it. The actual construction probably took a total of two or three weeks to take down the old one. Luckily, our structure that held the scoreboard could handle this one too.”
The new board will create a better audience experience and different sponsor opportunities as it provides higher definition and crisper video feedback for commercials and instant replays during the game.
In comparison to last year, sophomore Gabrielle Erickson already noticed a difference in the energy level during home games.
“One standout moment for me was when the new scoreboard showcased the new graphics and visuals,” Erickson said. “The old board was much smaller and would have been hard to see from the student section. The bigger screen really helps with seeing the replays from all the way in the student section.”
Senior linebacker for the Vikings football team Haden Wallace mentioned the media team will now be able to express more creativity with in-game interactions on the board such as encouraging asking fans to “get loud” and “get on your feet.”
The old board included sponsorship logos that were built into the structure of the board but with the new full-screen and digital logos, Augustana will be able to update sponsors much faster.
Outside of football, Morton intends to host opportunities for the University community to utilize this new technology, such as a movie night on the field. Local high schools have also been able to rent the space, providing young athletes with the opportunity to see their school compete on the big screen.
On Instagram, @goaugie and @daktronics co-authored a post showcasing the multi-day installation of the new scoreboard, with the caption “A new addition for @augiefb 📺🤩.” You can watch the video here.
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