A mock-up of the future video boards | Photo Courtesy of Michael Hollon
One year after the Schottenstein Center underwent renovations that resulted in a complete audio system upgrade, a new basketball court, fan areas and more, the arena is looking to elevate the fan experience once again.
The multi-purpose arena, which is home to Ohio State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and men’s ice hockey team, is installing a new state-of-the-art video board for the upcoming year, according to an Ohio State Athletics press release from July 17.?
With more than 7,200 square feet of LED display technology and 64 million pixels throughout the venue, fans in the Schottenstein Center will have a larger and clearer view of replays, statistics and other content across the arena.?
Michael Hollon, director of operations at the Schottenstein Center, said the project is centered on creating a memorable experience for fans when they come into the arena for various events.
“This is something that fans are going to see immediately, so that’s always a big factor,” Hollon said. “We’re always looking at how to improve the fan experience for our events.”
Hollon said the project, which was led by Anthony James Partners and Osborn Engineering, is expected to be completed in September.
“It’s a pretty big undertaking just with a project this size,” Hollon said. “Obviously, it’s ongoing in the event world. Events never stop. So just working through that schedule is always challenging, and you can’t just have a scoreboard half built hanging in the middle of the building for a concert.”
The most noticeable upgrade to the 19,500 seat arena will be the center-hung main video board in the middle of the arena. It will have more than three times the square footage of the previous structure, and four high-resolution LED displays, Hollon said.
Fans will be able to see clearer graphics, statistics and other information in all areas of the arena, as other upgrades in the project include the 360-degree ribbon boards increasing in size from 16 to 36 inches around the arena and from 400,000 to more than 2.6 million pixels.
The upper-level corner boards will also be turned from three separate boards into a continuous display, increasing them from 100,000 pixels to 1.2 million. The project will also add 43 new entrance and exit displays throughout the upper and lower seating bowls.
“The enhancements to the video boards will deliver sharper visuals, allow for more dynamic content and provide greater connectivity to the action,” Ohio State’s athletic director Ross Bjork said in a press release. “We want the fans to feel immersed in every moment, from the time they walk in the door until the end of the game.”
Ohio State men’s basketball head coach Jake Diebler said the renovations can help keep the arena among the best atmospheres in college basketball.
“When the Schott is rocking, it’s one of the best places to play in college basketball,” Diebler said in the release. “The passion from Buckeye Nation is what makes those environments so great. We want to create as many of those opportunities as we can, and the improvements to the video boards will not only enhance the in-venue experience but also help better connect our fans with the team.”
