When the Texas Rangers move into the brand new Globe Life Field in 8 months time, fans will benefit from a 5.5-acre retractable roof and air-conditioned comfort. Another unparalleled experience will be provided by the video boards being installed at the ballpark, according to Katie McIntyre’s Sports Venue Business.
Combining more than 13,000 square feet, the video boards at
Globe Life Field will provide a new element of in-game entertainment. The size
and location of the video boards was designed with brand identity in mind,
making sure the addition of the video boards didn’t distract from the overall
concept of Globe Life Field.
HKS Principal Architect, Fred Ortiz, said, “If we can
leverage the fact that we’re actually designing a board that’s properly placed
in composition with the super structure, so when people see the large video
board is part of the roof structure they’ll say, that’s Globe Life Field,
that’s the Rangers.”
The video boards merge with the super structure by being
directly installed onto the roof trusses creating a seamless transition from
roof to video board.
At nearly 8,700 square feet, the primary video board in
right field is 72% larger than the primary board at Globe Life Park, but
pushing the size envelope wasn’t the primary goal of the upgraded video boards,
as Ortiz explained: “It wasn’t about let’s get the biggest video board
possible, it was more about what is appropriately scaled for the room we’re
creating here. I think the location and size of the video boards are all kind
of working together.”
The secondary video board is 50% larger than its counterpart
at Globe Life Park. At 40ft tall by 111ft wide, the left field video board will
be roughly the same size as the primary board at the Rangers current home.
The video boards were created not to take away from the
action on the field, but to enhance the viewing experience at the ballpark. The
size and location of the two primary video boards provide a viewing experience
for every fan in the facility, regardless of seat location.
Texas Rangers Executive Vice President, Ballpark Entertainment,
Chuck Morgan, said, “The new home of the Texas Rangers, Globe Life Field, will
have the most comfortable seat in baseball, and with this new technology from
Daktronics, that seat just got better. The Daktronics Show Control System,
coupled with Live Clips and Camino, gives the Texas Rangers a complete control
system and powerful platforms to create a game presentation for Rangers fans
that will be second to none in all of baseball. We are looking forward to
bringing this game changer in the industry to our fans and enhancing their
experience at Globe Life Field.”
Not only are the video boards going to be bigger at Globe
Life Field, but the proximity to the field provides an intimate setting that in
return also brings fans closer to the video boards.
The Rangers once again collaborated with Daktronics for game
presentation at Globe Life Field. Daktronics will provide the two main video
boards, ribbon displays throughout the seating bowl, as well as 1,400 LCD
displays throughout the ballpark.
The experience is actually over 1,000 times larger than your
home experience, as it would take 1,220 60-inch televisions to cover both
outfield displays.
The quality of the video boards will also be an incomparable
experience, as Globe Life Field will be the first Major League Ballpark with
SMD technology, the best picture and quality technology around.
The upgraded technology will also expand into the control
room, allowing the production crew to provide a unique experience for fans.
While the video boards are upgraded in both size and
technology, there will be a familiar look coming over from the Rangers’ current
home. The current left field video board at Globe Life Park is being relocated
to the new facility, and will serve as the out of town scoreboard in
centerfields. The scoreboard is being flipped to a vertical orientation, making
it 80 x 20’ in its future home.
The Texas Rangers will join the newly upgraded video boards
in eight months time, unveiling the upgraded in-game presentation and
technology for the 1.8 million square foot project.
The new Globe Life Field, which is being built as a
public-private partnership between the City of Arlington and the Rangers, will
not only be the team’s new home but also a multipurpose sports and
entertainment venue that will include capabilities for hosting high school,
college and international sports, as well as entertainment tours. Globe Life
Field – designed by HKS and being built by Manhattan Construction – is expected
to open in March 2020 in time for the Rangers’ season.
The new ballpark’s seating capacity is expected to be
approximately 43,000.
See renderings here
