Scoreboards

Let’s face the facts, everyone is on a budget when it comes to choosing an electronic scoreboard. In most cases, there is quite a group of people involved in watching over the money spent and the decision is often based on investigation and results supplied by just a few individuals. The pressure may be on to purchase the cheapest electronic scoreboard, and sometimes that means looking at those made in China. But buyer beware. There is a massive downside to buying a cheap scoreboard from a foreign country that could cost you a lot more in the long run.

When you have thousands of people gathered in an open outdoor venue, surrounded by a lot of metallic objects, it can be a recipe for a massive weather disaster that could potentially kill hundreds. This was a topic of discussion at the University of Maryland for NOAA’s lightning and safety workshop. Based on the lightning strikes that hit and killed over fifty people in two different arenas in India and China, decisions needed to be made on protecting fans and players during some of Mother Nature’s most volatile weather.

The science of lightning can be complex, as lightning bolts can hit in a range of over ten miles from the main storm and can measure at 200,000 amps, 300,000,000 volts with a heat measurement at over 60,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightning explodes concrete out of sidewalks, blows out bricks and devastates large trees. The threat for sports venues is real and the group needed to develop a method of protection for outdoor venues.

Technology is racing by at a lightning pace, with consumers demanding bigger, better, flashier and more pizzazz. Sports fans seem to be at the core as they want to experience in-stadium with the same glitz, glamour and color that they get on their home sets. Manufacturers of video scoreboards have kept pace with the requirements as they bring sports enthusiasts off the couch and into the stadiums with scoreboards that create the wow-factor. The list may change as competition increases, but here are some of America’s top video scoreboards.

One would think that the top ratings for electronic scoreboards in sports might go to football or baseball, but in reality the top three in the country are dedicated to automotive and horse racing.

Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC is home to the NASCAR Auto Racing. Their video scoreboard measures 16,000 square feet.

You may think that creating electronic scoreboard advertising is an expense that is out of your reach, but with a little savvy planning, you can actually create top notch, high quality ads, with little or no investment.

Consider this: how many people do you know that have pc’s and movie cameras? The answer to what you considered a dilemma is to make use of the technology, talent, people and resources that is probably already in your grasp. In addition to lowering cost, using existing materials and talent will contribute to an earth-friendly philosophy; and this is something that sponsors will be attracted to.

The correct installation of an outdoor electronic sports scoreboard is paramount to the success of the scoreboard itself. You want to ensure that your scoreboard achieves ultimate viewing status and will not require any additional manual maintenance.

Prior to receiving the scoreboard, as in real estate, the priority is location-location-location. The scoreboard should be located for equal view by any seating arrangement as well as weather considerations (wind, rain, snow). An additional topic will be whether the area is a single sport or multi-sport venue, as this can affect the right placement. If you are using audio, you will want to check the acoustics of the location as well. Other pre-installation preparations will include whether the power lines will be hardwired and buried underground (this will require approval to dig trenches for the power lines) or if you will be using wireless.

When you purchase a high quality electronic sports scoreboard, such as the Electro-Mech system, you will want to make sure that you have covered all bases of consideration to ensure the best efficiency and optimum performance for your scoreboard. We have included a few miscellaneous topics that you may not have thought of or even are aware of.

The world has come a long way since the first Earth Day in 1970. It’s hard to believe that, during that era, people didn’t think twice about wasting products and considered the natural resources of the world to be eternal. The philosophies of recycling, reusing and no-waste have permeated on both the individual and business level and Electro-Mech has led the way in recycling within the electronic sports scoreboards industry.

LED lighting has come to the forefront of common use around the world. Beyond just the exciting colors, LED helps in your ‘green effort’ and is a substantial electrical savings. Schools and organizations are focused on every possible method to contribute to a continued green effort and participate in technology that supports this process. Electronic sports scoreboards have adopted LED lighting for quite some time, offering a savings over board systems that use standard lighting. The ability of the LED to withstand changes in weather, shock, extreme temperature and vibration make LED’s the perfect lighting technology for indoor and outdoor electronic sports scoreboards.

As a society, we are not only accustomed to experiencing excellence in technology, but we are now in a condition where we expect it. On a daily basis, we view high resolution videos with special effects and extreme sound quality. This expectation can also translate into the world of electronic sports scoreboards, where we face a few more challenges and hurdles in video displays. While we have a total environmental control when viewing a video on a pc, tablet or our smartphone, this is not the case in either an indoor or outdoor electronic scoreboard. Each venue may offer limitations and there are rules-of-thumb that can be applied for the decision as to when to add audio to scoreboard video.

The advantages of LED lighting in today’s electronic sports scoreboard supersede all display sources of the past. The high resolution, sturdy, safe and long lasting LED lights bring millions of colors to a screen, offering a clarity never before seen. The LED lights in your electronic scoreboard are not only earth-friendly, by not containing the mercury of fluorescent lights, but are recyclable. The LED lights have longevity of over 60,000 hours, and lower electricity use to bring additional savings. While the initial cost of LED lighting is higher than standard or fluorescent lights, the longevity outweighs and quickly pays for itself. The enjoyment of your electronic scoreboard will last for years to come; however, when additional lighting sources are in place, there are considerations that need to be included to give your audience and sponsors the very best indoor or outdoor scoreboard experience.

Video creates a powerful connection to the viewer and accelerates the sales process for your sponsor. Statistics show that consumers that watch video are 144% more likely to buy a product or service. These are incredibly important mantras when you a considering video for your electronic scoreboard. You might be in a situation where you think you have limited technology tools to make the kind of powerful video you think that you need. There are some shortcuts and special hints that can help you on your video journey to help make your presentations look like the pros.

You are the master of your electronic scoreboard advertising and as such, have chosen a video format for the best possible results. Now that you have made the biggest decision, you will need to tackle the topic of what kind of video advertising will do justice to your sponsors.

The stats show that video with audio bring a higher retention rate in the viewing audience. This will translate into measurable dollar return on investment for your advertiser or sponsor. Video scoreboard advertising offers a higher level of creativity, but with that you may find there are some hurdles to overcome.