By Cardinals Team Release | @STLBBToday | Jan. 12, 2016, 11:00 pm CT
Image via MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch on Twitter
The St. Louis Cardinals announced details regarding the team’s multi-million dollar investment in the new state-of-the-art high definition LED video boards being installed at Busch Stadium for the 2016 season – the team’s 10th Anniversary of the ballpark.
“Fans will immediately notice the difference the first time they look at the new high definition video boards,” said William DeWitt III, President of the Cardinals. “We are really excited by all the things we will be able to do to enhance the fan experience with the new system, including offering better in-game video entertainment and more social media engagement.”
All 11 stadium-facing LED scoreboards are being replaced at Busch as part of a series of improvements three years in the making. The main video scoreboard will now be one complete full-color LED screen replacing the previous LED screen, tri-visions, and 2-color matrix boards and line score. Since the new video board will occupy the entire 120′ x 40′ space that all the other equipment occupied, the total size of the video board will be approximately three times larger than the previous video board with twice the resolution and brightness thanks to the more compact placement of the LEDs (13mm). The new World Championship Board (Out of Town Board) will replace some backlit signage and a tri-vision board for an entire full-color LED area of 81′ x 40′ with 13 mm spacing; approximately two and a half times larger than the previous video board. In addition to the two main scoreboards, all other stadium-facing Fascia Ribbon Board Displays including first base, third base, centerfield, bullpens, and speed pitch will be replaced adding more than twice the resolution of the previous boards. All stadium boards have been supplied by Daktronics of Brookings, South Dakota whom supplied the previous board in Busch III.
“Daktronics is proud to continue our long-standing relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals to upgrade the video technology at Busch Stadium,” said Daktronics Regional Manager Tony Mulder. “These enhancements are sure to improve an already amazing game-day atmosphere at baseball’s highest level of competition. We’re excited to see the final product entertaining Cardinals fans this upcoming season.
The new scoreboards along with new scoreboard equipment will make every display High Definition. The new equipment will also enhance the club’s capability to show more replays from more angles, add more roaming or wireless HD cameras in the fan entertainment experience, more options and abilities to create new layouts with more stats and entertainment elements as well as more dynamic signage abilities for sponsors.
The upgrade also includes some re-working of the stadium audio system with new amplifiers and control software to provide fans an enhanced audio experience. The team is upgrading all of the control and production equipment to take advantage of the new system. A significant portion of the new control room equipment is from Grass Valley, a subsidiary of local company Belden Cable.
The Cardinals are also making a number of other improvements to the ballpark to enhance the fan experience in advance of the 2016 season as the team celebrates the 10th Anniversary of Busch Stadium. The Cardinals moved into the new, $411 privately-financed Busch Stadium in April 2006. Following a formal dedication ceremony on April 10, 2006, the Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 6-4 on Opening Day in St. Louis. The Cardinals will mark the anniversary during the team’s first home series against the Brewers April 11 – 14th.
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