ST. JOSEPH - After a 1,600-mile journey from southern California, components for what will be the largest video scoreboard in all of Division II arrived at Spratt Memorial Stadium, Thursday morning.
More than 200 people gathered for a celebration and press conference inside the Hall of Fame room of the newly renovated stadium. Eight flatbed trailers were used to bring the components to St. Joseph from Multimedia LED in Corona, California. After more than five years of planning, Multimedia LED and Missouri Western officials agreed, it had to be a one-of-a-kind project.
"There just aren't many opportunities where you can boast that you have the biggest and the best phenomenon on your campus," Missouri Western State University president Dr. Robert Vartabedian said. "This afternoon, components for the biggest and best scoreboard in all of Division II arrived on campus. We are very proud to have it."
The video display will be approximately 2,500 square feet and will contain nearly 1 million LEDs. The first of its kind, designers took the layout of the newly renovated Spratt Memorial Stadium into account during the planning and engineering phases.
"We've got some fo the best LEDs I've ever seen and built specifically for this project," MultimediaLED president Alex Birner said. "Everybody sits kind of far away from the board and at an angle. We have LEDs specifically designed so everyone can get a clear angle."
The project is the capstone of what will be a estimated $10.4 million renovation to the stadium complex. The video board portion was made possible by a $1.1 million gift by MWSU School of Business benefactor and CEO of Craig Realty Group, Steve Craig. The gift was the largest individual donation in the history of Griffon Athletics. In honor of his continued support of the University, the new playing surface was dedicated as Craig Field in 2015. The rest of the $2.6 million video board project was funded by other donations and part of a capital campaign headed up by the University.
The entire project is expected to be complete in time for the 2016 Griffon Football opener on Sept. 1.
For more information, visit
www.GoGriffons.com/GOBIG
Video Board Facts:
- Designed and engineered by Multimedia LED
- Largest video scoreboard in NCAA Division II
- 2,500 square foot display
- Makes MWSU one of just three MIAA members with a video board at its women's soccer facility
- MWSU becomes one of nine MIAA members to have a video board at its football facility
- Made possible by gift from Steve Craig, founder and CEO of Craig Realty Group and benefactor of the Craig School of Business at Missouri Western.
- Mr. Craig's gift is the largest by an individual in the history of Griffon Athletics.
- Gameday debut on #9One16 (Sept. 1, 2016) when Griffon Football hosts Nebraska-Kearney
