Scoreboards are a crucial part of the overall athletic experience. You don’t need to look further than a major league ball park or a football stadium to see the attention that crowds pay to these scoreboards. At the local level, though, for many years the typical scoreboard has been static - meaning that it listed the game’s score but not a great deal more.
That is changing, though. Just as horse-drawn carriages, rotary phones and typewriters did the jobs they were designed for in their moment in time, so too did the static scoreboards. But scoreboards have advanced light years in technology, and today’s digital dynamic scoreboards are fast becoming a favorite among schools and sports teams.
The modern, dynamic scoreboard greatly enhances the experience at the game (whether indoors or outdoors) with the addition of real-time information, eye-catching graphics and a number of interactive features.
Digital scoreboards offer a high level of precision, far more than the static signs ever delivered. LED screens display text, videos, and other media with amazingly sharp images – and the imaging can be changed frequently with relative ease. The scoreboard may well be the most important piece of equipment at any arena or stadium.
Digital sign manufacturer Watchfire offers this suggestion:
”Bench your old scoreboard and fire up players, fans and sponsors with a digital scoreboard or video display.”
Case Studies
One case study provided by Watchfire was its work with the Carroll County, GA schools to provide digital video scoreboards for the school district’s five high school stadiums. The digital scoreboards replaced traditional ones; the upgraded scoreboards use LED technology for displaying images, text, animation and videos with an energy-efficient design. The school superintendent said,
“These scoreboards provide us with a better way to connect with the crowd and share information about the premier opportunities available to students and their families using a very engaging platform…we have received a lot of positive feedback from our schools and our community regarding the boards and the wonderful atmosphere that is created for our athletic events.”
➡️ Read more about Carrol County School District's experience
➡️ Read Danville High School's Case Study
➡️ Read University of West Georgia's Case Study
Advantages to a Dynamic, Digital Scoreboard
For a school or other sporting organization evaluating an upgrade, here are a few advantages that come with the conversion.
- Greater visual precision than standard ones
- The capacity to display scores, instant replays and other time-sensitive information in “real time”
- LED screens can display text, videos and other media with crystal-clear images
- Capability of displaying other forms of media
- Far greater storage capacity – the ability to upload more designs, images, and videos
- Interactive and dynamic, with high quality colors and visuals
- Dynamic signs are more power efficient and easier to read
- Semi-automatic or fully-automatic, requiring less human intervention
- Offers potential for an organization to have paid advertising on the screen
Here are a few additional advantages. With a dynamic sign, organizations can include advertising and marketing messages as part of the display, either as a fixed message or one that “cycles in and out” and is replaced by others. This enables an organization to sell space on the scoreboard and recoup some of the costs of the system. The enhanced graphics make the thought of advertising to a large crowd an even more appealing notion.
Additionally, dynamic signs go a long way toward enhancing an organization’s brand – whether that’s a school, or a semi-professional team. The scoreboards are powerful means of showcasing colors and logos, which can help boost school or team spirit.
Athletes are motivated to succeed anyway. With the added visual components of a digital, dynamic scoreboard there can be an air of excitement. Just as a crowd cheers on a marathoner, a scoreboard provides so much more than just the score at the moment. It helps convey pride, motivation and a sense of community.
Checkout the Schaumburg Boomer's New Video Wall! ⬇️
The additional good news is that an upgrade may cost less than you think. We’ve seen the cost of LED products (televisions for example) drop significantly in recent years. The technology is improved, it is more affordable and more attainable. Learn how to fundraise for a video wall scoreboard
For a school administrator or athletic director thinking of upgrading, consider how this may enhance the school’s goals and sports programs. It can serve to provide additional revenue from advertisers first of all, and it will more effectively market the organization to the community at large. In days when school budgets are stretched tightly, the opportunity to bring in revenue should be a welcome benefit.
Download the Watchfire Sports Guide
Partnering with the right technology provider is the right approach for upgrading signage and video walls. To learn more, or if you have questions, we can help show you how video solutions can positively impact your school or team.
