Scoreboards

There doesn't seem to be the controversy these days over stadium advertising. For most of us, it is not only to be expected but is now part of the game or show experience. Over the last year, there has been a study in the United Kingdom comparing the attendance levels of the games. The results has been surprising and of great advantage for fans, teams and sponsors.

The SPL Audience Report is an in-depth report that is part of the IFM Sports Marketing Surveys. This report was designed to offer backup proof with return on investment data. Examination involved the third quarter of the 2010 through 2011 season, and a variety of marketing areas were examined to show what types and at what levels stadium advertising increases attendance.

For most people, they take fiber optics for granted. In today’s electronic video world, fiber optics have become the norm. While it was slow to take off, it has become the mainstay for all video. This is paramount in the sports stadiums where every dollar invested has to have a high ROI (return on investment). Fan expectations are at their highest level, with electronic scoreboards at front and center of the show or game experience. The advent of video into the arena has made fiber optics a must have for quality, clarity, resolution and, in the long run, fun.

Preparing for the 2010 FIFA Cup in South Africa was a monumental undertaking. While we viewed the elaborate stadiums and the phenomenal electronic scoreboards, we didn't have a clue at the incredible amount of work that went into these gala events.

If you were lucky enough to attend the 2010 FIFA Cup games, you were probably overwhelmed with the absolutely incredible stadiums. No where else in the world was imagination, architecture, art and local culture combined in such a way for stadiums.

Having a broken or poorly located scoreboard can often be worse than no scoreboard at all. No one knows this better than the National Sports Center in Minnesota. The broken scoreboard was an official hall of shame and someone
decided to do something about it!

The National Sports Center had a broken scoreboard sitting on the ground and peeking out above a fence for a number of years. The temporary portable scoreboard that they bought actually caused more problems because anything could and often blocked it. The little portable was the brunt of many of the Thunder fans jokes and overhead announcements were often made requesting fans as well as the occasional golf cart to be moved so that people could see the scores.

We cruise along in life with an expectation that some things will go right and inevitably, some things will go wrong. The challenges we face are the continuing efforts to fix, correct or make-right those areas that go awry. This rule of thumb remains the same, no matter what topic we address. There are, however, some things that someone made a decision on at one point or another that simply don’t make sense. Here are four rather odd sports situations (or decisions) that went down rather strange paths.

The never ending search to sell to the sports enthusiast was apparently a topic for the decision makers at VISA. They came up with what they thought was a brilliant idea of an incentive card that would feature a picture of the sports scoreboard of your choice. Apparently this little gem is a perfect gift (available in a variety of denominations) for the sports loved on in you life.

The demand for high tech in today’s sports venues is becoming a main focus for stadium managers. Attendance and following these days is based on what you can offer in the way of visual, audio, virtual and marketing. In the past, these were configured as individual tools, married together with a staff and a lot of preplanning. However, with the new generations of software that work with the video scoreboards, a stadium can have the high tech offerings with real-time live changes; all controlled by a single staff member.

Carver Arena in Peoria Illinois can seat around 12,000 people for their basketball and hockey games. Competition is fierce and to keep up with the demanding times, they made the decision to add to their existing scoreboard system with a complete SDI video and software that offers real time replays. It used to require a three to four people to integrate any of the feeds within the scoreboard presentations. Now, with new software, they have a single screen with touch screen apps that allow a technician to flip between scoreboard view and replays. The system also houses their own library for live-cam views, commercials, institutional presentations and promotions. All of this is easily controlled with a single touch app to switch from one to another. It also reduces the need for multiple servers, down to a single server.

There is an ongoing debate regarding the scoreboard at Miller Park. The topic of the discussion is all about whether the ball that appeared on the scoreboard was hit and stuck or deliberately placed there.

It seems the time in question also surrounds Matt Kemp, famed hitter of the Los Angeles Dodgers. During a game, Kemp made a hit from a ball thrown by Dave Bush that scored a homerun. The estimating of the ball distance was around 447 feet. While that alone should have caught everyone’s attention, the real star of the show was the fact that the placement of the ball was near the stadium scoreboard and, it seems there was a ball stuck in position, on the board, right under the number six. Kemps ball hit the scoreboard but even it didn’t stay on the board.

In the past, television air time was considered to be quite valuable. However, I suppose in this age of reality television and absolutely mundane and literally yawn-provoking television shows, this adage is no longer true. There are more channels than a single person could ever keep track of and oddly, there is less being shown that offers any quality. We know that the media moguls are aware of quality because year after year some of the most creative shows win awards. However, there is still a population that is enthralled with the totally useless view, which often includes watching someone else’s totally bland life.

Sports channels seem to abound on television. I probably have fifteen sports channels, displaying all kinds of games; most of which we ignore. However, a news clip came to my attention and, since it was so obscure, it drew me completely in. There are a number of areas of the U.S. as well as around the world that seem to revel in odd or weird sports games. In some cases these are just played for the sheer silliness, but in some cases, they are completely serious. I am sure that many reading this can add to this number, but I have limited it to just the top five oddest sports.

I lived so close to Disneyland in Anaheim California that we would see and hear the fireworks every night. We spent a number of years watching the technology evolve as new shows came on board. Disney became known as one of the top innovators in technology, and this was never more obvious than our move to Florida where DisneyWorld became the artist’s pallet for the latest in high tech. When Disney built their now famous ‘Boardwalk’ – we didn’t know what we were in for. Their thirteen thousand square foot facility for sports had an added benefit with real time scoreboards.

The first time I ever saw the famous Disney ‘Boardwalk’ it wasn’t totally completed. Even then, you could walk along and see the restaurants, stores and condo-style living areas. For sports enthusiasts, they have added the ESPN Club, consisting of three areas: “Sports Central, The Sidelines, and The Yard”. The enclave includes an interactive media center, television and radio broadcasts. “Sports Central” which goes over-the-top for all of the fans. There are around ninety television monitors so that no matter where you go, you will be kept up-to-the-minute on the action. (Even, in the bathrooms). Real time feeds and live presentations cover every sports topic including billiards and golf. Fans can participate in meeting and interviews with well-known sports figures in a radio booth or even at the sports desk itself. The huge high tech scoreboard maintains an up to the minute list of the major game of the day. The entire area has a design around the basketball game look, including the real hardwood floors.

KATY Independent School District (ISD) is in Katy, Texas; near Houston. In January, 2011 the school board trustees met to brainstorm how they were going to achieve a revenue increase for the year. The meeting was prompted due to a major cost cutting reduction by the State of Texas, placing most schools in a serious condition.

Not to sit on their laurels, this group met with their special event general manager as well as the marketing team and everyone came to the table with a piece of the plan. The culmination of this high level meeting came up with a three-plan project; all of which would involve advertising.

While the goal is to use advertising, it is not for advertising sake alone. Their main mission is coordinating corporate, regional and local sponsorships that are more akin to a long lasting partnership with the school and community. At the top of their list is the focus to maintain a quality of excellence and respect.

Co-Op advertising is probably the most powerful marketing tool and yet the least understood. Most people don’t even know that there are millions of co-op advertising dollars available and they go unused each year. This is leaving money on the table that could help your school. Taking advantage of co-op advertising in conjunction with your electronic scoreboard may be one of the best decisions you will make.

Co-Op (co-operative) advertising is basically a method for a manufacturer to have their brand on a retailers advertising. The manufacturer then reimburses the retailer, based on the percentage of exposure and the individual manufacturer co-op policy. As an example, it you have a 5’x5’ screen on your electronic scoreboard for an ad or video, and the manufacturers logo takes up one fourth of the display, the manufacturer will reimburse the retailer for 25% of the cost of the ad itself.

The teachers and coaches in our lives make an indelible impression on the students. They are a close-knit part of our community and lives. When one is lost, it is a heartbreaking event for everyone in the town. The community of Freehold New Jersey felt an incredible blow with the sudden loss of Richard Hartman, a teacher, coach and mentor.

There is always a time of grieving during a loss. Emotions typically run the gamut. Getting through the loss and turning it into a positive direction is part of the human experience. The staff, alumni, students and families of Clifton T. Barkalow Middle School made the decision to do just that. They came together as a single unit to ensure that the devotion and love that Hartman shared with his school and town would not be forgotten. The memorial would be created with a new school scoreboard.