There have been many improvements totaling $42 million made at Tampa Bay Times Forum the last couple years since Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment have taken over the Lightning franchise. Among those are a new facade at the main entrance, interior improvements, and a new scoreboard that made its debut last night.
The scoreboard is one-of-a-kind. Easily the largest scoreboard in the NHL, it reminds one of the giant scoreboard located at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas that spans nearly the length of the field.
As reported in May by the club, the $5 million Daktronics scoreboard is the largest center-hung scoreboard in any arena in the United States or Canada. The measurements are approximately 28 feet high by 50 feet wide on the two larger displays while the smaller displays (facing the end zones) measure 28 feet high by 20 feet wide, tapered at the bottom. By comparison, the arena’s previous video board measures 16 feet high by 28 feet wide on all four sides.
When talking about the video board Steve Griggs, Chief Operating Officer of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Storm and Tampa Bay Times Forum said “Like many other new elements in the Times Forum, the board will be recognized nationally for its innovation, quality and fan-friendliness. It promises to be among the best in North America and allows us to further enhance the in-arena presentation for all of our events.”
Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher told the newspaper that also bares their name on the arena that he wasn’t looking forward to the new scoreboard. “If I can avoid it, perfect,” he said. Griggs joked that he’s going to need to wear makeup as the lengthwise video boards will have 1,296 horizontal lines of resolution, or pixels, and 2,304 vertical. A standard HD TV is 1,080 by 1,920.
Brent Stevens, Daktronics’ national sales manager for professional sports justified the need for teams to have improved facilities to compete with the at-home experience. “In the sports industry worldwide, one of the big things that teams and facilities are coming up against is how do you compete in arenas, in stadiums, with the entertainment that you can get at home,” Stevens said. “You can buy your own beer. You can make your own food. You’ve got a $2,000 HD TV sitting on the wall. So how does the team get you to come experience it live?”
The below photo came via Twitter from John Walton of the Washington Capitals. Walton is the teams play-by-play broadcaster and Director of Broadcasting for the Capitals.
