University of Houston Athletics
Houston Baseball to Install Brand New Video Board
4/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HOUSTON -- Thanks to lead donations from Don Sanders and Joe Gutierrez, Houston Baseball and head coach Todd Whitting are proud to announce that Daktronics will design, manufacture and install a brand new LED video display to be named Sanders-Gutierrez Scoreboard at Cougar Field.ÂÂ
"The addition of Sanders-Gutierrez Scoreboard at Cougar Field will immediately elevate the gameday experience for our fans and players to the highest level," Whitting said. "The completion of this project will keep us on track in regards to the ongoing master plan to upgrade Cougar Field. We are very grateful for the generosity of Don Sanders, Joe Gutierrez, The Houston Cougar Foundation, John Clarke, Roy Barrett and members of the Baseball Coaches Committee for their support of this project."
According to Daktronics, the new outfield video display will be the largest at an on-campus baseball stadium in the country. It will measure roughly 27.5 feet high by more than 55 feet wide to provide more than 1,500 square feet of space for live video, instant replays, statistics and scoring information, graphics and animations, and sponsor messages. The display features a 15HD pixel layout for crisp, clear imagery with wide-angle viewing for a great view from every seat at the ballpark.
"We are excited to partner with Daktronics as one of the industry's leaders in video board technology," Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Relations Jeramiah Dickey said. "Our goal is to continue to enhance our audiovisual capabilities as it becomes increasingly more important to the student-athlete and fan experience. We are very appreciative of the commitment our Coaches Committee members have made to Houston Baseball and its continued success on and off the field."ÂÂ
With the new dimensions set, the new display will measure twice as tall and more than three times as wide as the current display board in right-center field. Baseball fans in the city of Houston can see a similar display board at MLB's Minute Maid Park -- as both the Cougars and Astros will house the same manufactured product from Daktronics. Construction on the new video display will begin this season with the installation date still to be determined.
"We're excited and grateful for the opportunity given to us by the University of Houston," Daktronics Sales Representative Dan Fjeldheim said. "Bringing this technology to the baseball field will give Cougar fans another level of excitement and enthusiasm at every game. We can't wait to see the atmosphere once the installation is complete."
COUGAR FIELD LATEST RENOVATIONS
Cougar Field has undergone several renovations, enhancing the overall look and playing surface for players and fans. December 2013 marked the biggest renovation to date as Cougar Field underwent a complete overhaul with the installation of the baseball specific FieldTurf DoublePlay playing surface.
About FieldTurf: The DoublePlay product line is designed to be completely customizable to the needs of baseball clients by controlling the speed and pace of the baseball through innovative fiber and infill technology. Such customization allows for all baseball programs to get the field they want. With over 40 game fields currently in use at the NCAA D-1 level for baseball, the Cougars join an impressive list of baseball teams that play and/or practice on FieldTurf DoublePlay systems such as Oregon State University, Rutgers University, University of Illinois, Kent State University, University of Louisville and the University of Oregon, to name a few.
In time for the 2012 season, the outfield wall was redone, enhancing the look of the companies that sponsor Cougar Baseball with new and updated ads across the padded wall. A new railing in front of each dugout was installed, while new green safe padding was added to provide safety for players during game action. The bullpen was brought to life with a new UH windscreen facing the stadium seating. In 2010, the netting behind home plate was replaced; the red roof and dugouts were freshly painted with Houston Cougars across the tops, while the "Bring Back the Red" chairback campaign, allowed all the reserved-seating chairs to be replaced.
HOUSTON ATHLETICS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
This is only the latest capital improvement for Houston Athletics in recent years. The department just announced the plan to renovate Tom Tellez Track at Carl Lewis International Complex and the Houston Soccer Field following a $1.5 million donation. TDECU Stadium, the $125 million home of Houston Football, opened last August, while construction continues on the Houston Basketball Development Center, which is scheduled to open this fall.
Houston Football also saw the renovation of two practice fields, while Houston's Cougar Field underwent a FieldTurf installation, while Houston Softball's locker room underwent renovations. At Golf Club of Houston in nearby Humble, the home of Houston Men's and Women's Golf recently added the Mike and Pat Booker Short Game Facility.
JOIN THE DUGOUT CLUB
Nationally-ranked Houston Baseball would like to encourage those wishing to support the efforts and success of the baseball student-athletes to consider joining the Dugout Club for as low as $25 a month or $300 annually.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
LEVELS
PINCH HITTER
For a minimum monthly installment of $25 or a minimum one-time gift of $300, supporters can take advantage of the Pinch Hitter level, which will guarantee an invitation for two to exclusive Dugout Club events and Houston Baseball team apparel.
DIAMOND
For a minimum monthly installment of $100 or a minimum one-time gift of $1,000, supporters can take advantage of the Diamond level, which will guarantee batting practice passes for two to any home game, invitation for two to exclusive Dugout Club events and Houston Baseball apparel.
**Cougar Pride points will be applied accordingly.
For more information on joining the Dugout Club, please contact the Houston Baseball office at (713) 743-9396.
For more information regarding Cougar Pride, please call (713) 743-GOUH.
STAY CONNECTED
Stay up to date with all Houston Baseball news and highlights by following us on Twitter @UHCougarBB or on Facebook at /HoustonCougarBaseball. Fans can also follow head coach Todd Whitting @toddwhitting on Twitter.
