Tech’s future wish list includes video board for Jones
Texas Tech fans got to experience a Jones AT&T Stadium expansion last week when six new sections were opened for business on the northeast and northwest corners. Next up is the east-side stadium building scheduled to come on line next year.
And the master plan for the stadium calls for a video display board on the south end. The new video board won’t happen any sooner than 2011. Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said he hopes it can be done in the not-too-distant future, but it all depends on funding that’s not in place yet.
“I do think it’s important we look at it,’’ Myers said Thursday. “It’s something we do need with those new seats in the north end. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do that.’’
Myers said one manufacturer provided a cost estimate of $5.4 million for what Tech would like. But all of Tech athletics’ recent fundraising for stadium development has been allocated to the north-end seating expansion, which costs $6 million, and the east stadium building. The latter ran over budget, from an initial estimate of $25 million to the current $32.6 million.
Myers said looking at designs and making inquiries is as far as the south-end video board project has gone. Eventually, it will be bid out.
Rather than go for a small, less-expensive setup, Myers is inclined to wait until adequate funds can be raised for a more state-of-the-art system. He envisions Tech installing a board that will include displays of in-game statistics such as offensive-yardage breakdowns and scores of other games.
“It’ll be more than just a big video screen down there,’’ he said.
Myers estimated the video screen itself would be double or triple the size of the video screen currently in place on the north end.
For the 1998 season, Tech unveiled a Mitsubishi Diamond Vision Mark III display board on the north end of Jones AT&T Stadium. It’s 21 feet tall and 27 feet wide.
As it did back then, Tech will seek a title sponsor and advertising for the new board project.
With the master plan calling for its installation on the south end, Tech has to decide what to do with the landmark double-T scoreboard that stands beyond the south end.
“One idea is to try to develop a big double-T video screen,’’ Myers said. “Possibly we could use (the existing double-T scoreboard) somewhere else. We’re going to have to move it. We wouldn’t be able to keep it right there in the position it’s in now. We haven’t gotten to the point where we’ve decided what we’re going to do about that.’’
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take the double t and place it on the corner of university and 4th (marsha sharp fwy)
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I like that idea!
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I think for the time being they should move the scoreboard to the top of the current ticket office. They won’t be tearing that down for awhile, so it makes sense to me.
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Better wait a few more years indeed — maybe we can have some sights & stats more worth looking at!!
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Take the Double T scoreboard and put it where all the dead horses are buried so that they’ll always know the score of the game.
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Put the Double T scoreboard in Gerald’s office and move him to the curb.
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So where did the big neon go that was on the West Side stands? That sign was visable all the way across town.
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Keep the Double T for two more years, then shove it into the Aggie section after the game.
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we should put it outside a grave so dead people can still see the score.
wait that’s been done… just more pathetically.
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But what will we do with the Roof Raider?
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it helps if tech can sellout a game before they start thinking about expanding even more…prepare yourself students and season ticket holder, nothing is free in this world
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Don’t you think ATT should pony up some annual fee for the naming rights? If they are already where’s that money going?
BTW: To me it’ll alway be Jones Stadium.
Would Jerry give us the old one from Texas Stadium (Irvine)?
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Watchdog113….I have a little experience with that and yes….someone would be willing to provide one at Jones with their name on it (Sony, AT&T, Mitsubishi, etc.), plus probably some advertising time in videos during or before games. Tech could possibly get it for little cost.
But, if Myers can get the money donated, then he can also get money for the naming and the advertisement video time. I’m sure he is tryiong to get all he can for the school……………and that is his job.
We do need one……………went to the TU game in September………….and unfortunately I have to admit…………their board makes ours look like a weak high school.
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I like Redbird’s Raidervision, got a catchy tune….what would you advertise?
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I don’t think Gerald would go for g-string lingerie adds.
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Tech really should get the big board in place for when THE University of TEXAS comes to town next year because you know what they say……………everything is bigger in TEXAS……….Austin that is!
VIVA LOS LONGHORNS!!!
HOOK ‘EM HORNS!!!
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Hi, I’m Federales Tamales.
I bought my Teasipper Ugly Orange T-Shirt at Dollar General.
No, I didn’t attend Teasipper University.
No, I’ve never been to Austin.
Yes, I’m trying to get my GED so I can make more than $5 an hour.
Signed, Lubbock Slum Lord, Federales Tamales
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Sure it was bought? not given away, with last years trash….
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Federales Tamales said:
Tech really should get the big board in place for when THE University of TEXAS comes to town next year because you know what they say……………everything is bigger in TEXAS……….Austin that is!
VIVA LOS LONGHORNS!!!
HOOK ‘EM HORNS!!!
Including the level of stupidity.
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Why not jack the ticket prices up again; say, to $250 each. But first, increase the ticket option to $1,000/ticket. Then when nobody shows up for the games, you won’t need a bigger video board. Problem solved……………
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That’s funny Freddy! You are probably right though. As great as a state of the art video board would be, somebody has to pay for it — Donors and ticket prices. Pretty soon Tech will be competing with the Dallas Cowboys in jacked-up ticket prices and whose ticket prices are higher.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against Gerald’s vision but I don’t want to see Tech turn away the real Tech fans for a bunch of corporate fans because corporate fans will be the only ones that can afford the ticket prices and it wont have the atmosphere that the Jones has now.
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