21 displays bring 28.1 million LEDs to game-day experience

Conceptual Image

Detroit Lions To Enhance The Roar At Ford Field With New Daktronics Video System

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Feb. 22, 2017 – The Detroit Lions are improving the in-person game-day experience at Ford Field with 21 new LED video displays to be designed, manufactured and installed by Daktronics (NASDAQ-DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota. The 21-display system will feature more than 26,000 square feet of displays with more than 28.1 million LEDs ready to make fans roar when the 2017 season kicks off.

"We're thrilled to continue our partnership with the Detroit Lions by providing new LED technology at Ford Field," said Daktronics CEO Reece Kurtenbach. "It's a testament to our products, engineering and services when our current customers stay with Daktronics to complete their vision for venue upgrades. The new displays throughout the stadium are sure to enhance the experience for Lions fans as well as help create an incredible home field advantage for the team."

"The Daktronics product line is a staple in the sports and entertainment venue industry featuring the best in technology for large-scale video displays," said Detroit Lions Senior Vice President of Business Development Kelly Kozole. "Furthermore, their knowledge and ingenuity were vital in helping us identify how we could maximize the Ford Field visual experience within our stadium structure. Our new video boards will undoubtedly elevate our game day and event presentation to another level."

In each end zone, the main video displays will be more than twice the size of the existing displays and large enough to show a life-sized Spirit of Detroit six times. Each main display will measure 39.5 feet high by 152 feet wide and feature a 13HD pixel layout, the premier technology for professional football applications to show vibrant, crisp imagery at with wide angle visibility for a great view from any seat in the stadium.

Flanking the main displays, four additional displays will measure 13 feet high by 59 feet wide and feature the same 13HD pixel layout. These displays can be used individually or coordinated with the main displays for one continuous 270-foot presentation to show live video, instant replays, statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.

Unique to Ford Field, two super column displays will be installed. Measuring 36.5 feet high by 62.5 feet in circumference, these displays will feature 6-millimeter line spacing to provide additional graphics and statistics that fans crave at every event.

Three large ribbon displays will be mounted along the fascia of Gate A to welcome event goers and create an engaging atmosphere for fans while they are away from their seats in the concourse of the stadium.

An additional four ribbon displays will be installed along the seating fascia totaling more than 5,000 feet in length and four displays, two in each end zone, will be mounted to the back of the main displays to further engage fans throughout the stadium and highlight sponsors during any event.

Backlit "Ford Field" signage will be mounted above the video displays in each end zone to provide prominent branding during all events held at the stadium.

 

About Ford Field

On August 20, 1996 the Detroit Lions announced plans to build new domed stadium in downtown Detroit. In November 1999, the team hosted the "From the Ground Up" groundbreaking ceremony which unveiled renderings and officially named the new stadium Ford Field. Ford Field opened its doors on August 24, 2002. The home of the Detroit Lions is comprised of approximately 1.85 million square feet with four levels of suites, a level of club seating, and a ground level designated for restaurants, concessions and retail. Ford Field claims the best sight lines of any football stadium in the United States, made available by a design that omits the traditional club and suite levels, thereby lowering the upper level. There are a total of 65,000 seats.