New York Mets fans at Citi Field will have an enhanced ballpark experience in 2015, as the team is installing a new 13HD LED center-field videoboard — one of the first in the majors.
Beginning this week, Daktronics will design, manufacture and install at Citi Field a new videoboard that will be 62 percent bigger than the original Citi Field centerfield board. The new board, set to debut on Opening Day, April 13, will measure 5,670 square feet (up from 3,500 square feet).
The installation puts the Mets in the top 10 largest displays in professional baseball and makes Citi Field one of the few baseball venues to feature more than one video-capable LED display in the seating bowl. The installation brings the total square footage of all displays in the Mets’ super-system to more than 17,000 square feet. The previous total square footage was 13,500 and replacing older technology is providing a total of 7,000 square feet of new video display technology.
“As we look forward to a great season on the field in 2015, these significantly bigger and higher resolution video boards are state-of-the-art in size and LED technology and reinforce our commitment to provide our fans a superior experience when attending games at Citi Field,” said Mets COO Jeff Wilpon.
The new true high definition video display in center field will measure 54 feet high by 105 feet wide and feature a 13HD pixel layout resulting in more than 1.5 million pixels. This product provides enough brightness in an outdoor application to combat direct sunlight while upholding excellent image clarity and contrast. It incorporates extensively tested components and instills multiple levels of protection from the elements.
The display is capable of highlighting one large image for video and instant replays. It can also be divided into multiple sections to show a variety of scoring and statistical information, graphics and animations, sponsor messages, and special announcements.
The two ribbon displays along the left-field fascia of the seating areas will measure approximately five feet high by 234 feet wide and five feet high by 49 feet wide respectively. The larger display will feature sponsor messaging and the other display will track strikeouts of opposing batters by Mets pitchers via a “K-Board.”
“Providing new displays for Citi Field is a great opportunity for Daktronics and we are proud to continue our partnership with the New York Mets,” said Daktronics Vice President of Live Events Jay Parker. “Adding this new main video display which features the premier outdoor LED technology in the industry today shows a commitment to providing fans and players with the highest level of excitement and entertainment at every baseball game.”