Loons announce addition of massive new video scoreboard at Dow Diamond for the 2018 season

The Great Lakes Loons and Michigan Baseball Foundation President, Paul Barbeau, announced on Wednesday it will be replacing the current scoreboard at Dow Diamond with a new scoreboard by Daktronics, which will be the brightest video scoreboard in all of minor league baseball. 

 

“This entire display system from Daktronics will transform the in-game experience for our fans attending Loons games and other events at Dow Diamond,” Barbeau said in an email press release. “It will have vastly improved capabilities to share game information, player and team content and entertainment for fans attending Loons games.”

 

Barbeau says the new video board will not only benefit fans at the Loons baseball games, but anyone visiting Dow Diamond for a multitude of other events which take place throughout the entire year. 

 

“It also presents exciting new opportunities for other businesses and local events on the 295 days throughout the year when baseball isn't being played.”

 

The current scoreboard (considered new technology when it was installed back in 2007) stands 17-feet tall by 36-feet wide, which seems tiny compared to the massive 31-foot tall by 80-foot wide new board, over 2,500 square feet and equivalent to 235 different 60-inch flat-screen TV's in one spot. 

 

Daktronics' sales representative Ryan Stratton says the new display will be the largest 13 HD technology display ever installed in a minor league facility and will feature more than 2 million LED's with a resolution of 1876 X 728 capable of generating 281 trillion (yes, that's trillion with a T) colors.

 

“We're looking forward to working with the Great Lakes Loons to install the largest 13 HD display we've ever done for a minor league baseball facility,” Stratton said. “The main display will bring a focal point for baseball fans to receive all the stats and information they expect to see and then some. It will be a great addition to their ballpark and we're excited to see the final installation.”

 

In addition to the main 31' x 80' video scoreboard, the Loons will also be adding two 3.5-foot x 120-foot ribbon display boards along each baseline, attached to the facade of the suite level, showing player stats and other elements. 

 

The production studio on the third level behind the press box will also get an overhaul to meet the high definition output demands in the stadium. Fans viewing Loons home games on MiLB TV will notice an improved picture with the addition of professional grade HD cameras featuring max-zoom capabilities, comparable to what is used in the major leagues.

 

The Michigan Baseball Foundation has received project support from the Dow Corning Corporation, the Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow foundation, and Rollin M. Gerstacker foundation for the $3 Million dollar project, while enlisting help from local vendors; Midland Engineering Limited and Bierlein Companies (demolition), Three Rivers Corporation (steel, construction), and Blasy Electric.