One of the sporting events that has been increasing in popularity is track and field. These athletes are incredibly dedicated to their sport with fans that will support them in any weather condition. The increased attendance has brought a new interest for schools to add track scoreboards to their venues. To the delight of fans and sponsors alike, the scoreboards have taken the sport event to the next level.
Historically, track and field has been the underdog of sporting events. We watch the track and field participants heading out before dawn to run and religiously doing the same thing in the evening. While the huge fan following seem to give most of the attention to the football players and games, eyebrows have now been raised at the shift in interest to track and field. When the stadium seats are filling up, the sponsors will also be looking for another avenue to share their name and products.
Track scoreboards are a more recent addition to the track and field area. Those of us that attend the competition are as loyal as they come. We are accustomed to focusing on the individual or team that we cheer for and awaiting the results of the game call. When we entered to sit in the last game, to our delight, we looked up to see the newly added track scoreboard. Our eyes were caught by the team colors and the incredible clarity of the LED screen. Messages were streaming across, announcing information about the various athletes with intermittent and well done video advertisements from the sponsors.
As we sat in out seats, barely able to take our eyes away from the scoreboard, people were moving throughout the seating area, passing out free eco water bottles with the sponsor and team logos. This was an excellent marketing idea to marry the new scoreboard with the sponsor. We were all immediately enamored to the sponsor and the event was beginning.
The psychology of the scoreboard created a new experience. Up to the minute, real time calls, brightly colored LED displays cheering on our favorites. The sponsor message encouraging our favorites and our eyes moving from the scoreboard to the field. For the first time everyone in the bleachers had a communally shared event. The cheers were never louder. The track and field athletes seemed to have a renewed energy, seeing the attention and the scoreboard data streaming across the screen.
The wireless mobile video was played on the screen, taken moments before at the finish line. A concert of fantastic music was coordinated with the video and, as we fans, were rushed to a new level of feeling like we were on the field with our home team athletes. The LED colors flooded our vision with the glorious moments of the event.
Apparently, the electric experience of the event became big news. The word got out. We didn’t seem surprised when the next track and field game filled the seats even more and there were even more sponsors. Track and field had come of age. The addition of the track scoreboard has taken track and field to the next level. We couldn’t be happier!