JMU's New Jumbotron: Coming in 2011

Some of you may have heard about the new jumbotron for Bridgeforth Stadium we will be getting this upcoming offseason. While no official decisions have been made and no specs have been finalized (aka these could go up or down, but it's doubtful they'll change significantly), let me just give you some details that I've picked up from reports I've read and conversations I've had:

First season: 2011
Full size: about 62'x43' (again, no final specs have been decided on)
Video size: 45'x25'

What hasn't been made to clear in anything I've read are the meaning of these numbers. Most reports have said that the "video portion" will be 45'x25'. What that doesn't clarify is the fact that the entire 62'x43' structure will be an HD video board. The full size will be used for things like the intros before the team runs out onto the field. We can also hope they could use the full thing for replays of major plays or similar things, but that's more me dreaming than what they are actually planning on doing. So the 62'x43' is the actual size of the video board. During the game, the 45'x25' will be what shows live game footage, replays, etc with the score, stats, ads etc around the edges. It will go just in front of the APC, but raised higher than the top of the Plecker Center. The balcony that currently hangs off of the APC will also be removed.

Just to compare, the entire size of the current scoreboard is 70'x30'. So it will be almost as wide, but about 50% taller than the current scoreboard. The scoreboard will be about 70% wider than the part of the APC that extends out and is all glass. It is over 3x wider than the field goal posts. Another fun size comparison: it is almost the width of the Harrisonburg Buffalo Wild Wings and the height is about the distance from the front door to the men's bathroom.

Video boards of other schools (full list):
#15 - Ohio State - 90x30 - 2,700 sq.ft.
-----JMU (proposed full size) - 62x43 - 2,666-----
#16 - Rutgers - 68x37.75 - 2,567
#22 - ECU - 84x28 - 2,352
#26 - West Virginia - 85x23 - 1,955
#27 - LSU - 76x25 - 1,900
#28 - Virginia - 57x32 - 1,824

#40 Clemson - 61.5x19 - 1,169
-----JMU (proposed only video) - 45x25 - 1,125-----
#41 Georgia - 45.5x24 - 1,092

Montana - 36x26 - 936
Towson - 47x17 - 799
Liberty - 36x20 - 720 
Richmond's TickVision - 35x20 - 700
Appalachian State - 40x17 - 680
Delaware - 20x16 - 320

A quick combo of a photo I got at the Liberty game of the team running onto the field, a little photoshopping the screen and supports in (NOTE: I didn't take the time to take the balcony off, but that won't be there next year), and put up a shot of the football promo that Digico created, which might be similar to what they do next year (imagine Welcome Home by Coheed and Cambria playing the in the background). Obviously it's basically just me eyeballing what it will look like, but it should give you an idea of the size.