Rantoul Family Sports Complex, a new 60-plus acre sports facility designed to draw upwards of 150,000 visitors annually and create more than 500 area jobs, has selected Watchfire Signs to provide 15 digital scoreboards and a digital entrance sign for the sports destination site.
Located in Rantoul, Illinois, the Rantoul Family Sports Complex opened in April 2021 after years of planning. It includes eight baseball/softball fields, two Little League/Challenger fields, and eight multi-purpose fields that can be used for soccer, football, rugby, lacrosse and non-sport activities.
The complex is home to local baseball and softball teams, and provides area athletes of all ages a quality facility to learn sports fundamentals, including football, soccer, baseball, softball, rugby, lacrosse, and more. The complex serves athletes of all abilities, with two fields designed specifically for those with special needs.
In addition, Rantoul Family Sports Complex will host regional and national tournaments, drawing players and supporters from cities throughout a six state region, including St. Louis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Louisville.
“We are filling the need for a true midwestern hub for sports,” said Luke Humphrey, recreation director for the Rantoul Recreation Department.
The city of Rantoul owns and operates the facility.
Key to providing a quality sports atmosphere are state-of-the-art digital scoreboards from Watchfire, including:
- A 20-by-26-foot 16mm video scoreboard located on the baseball championship field.
- A 15-by-21-foot 16mm video scoreboard on the softball championship field.
- Eight baseball/softball fixed digital scoreboards ranging in size from 4-by-9 feet to 8-by-28 feet.
- Four two-by-three-foot portable fixed digit scoreboards.
- A 10-by-17-foot 16mm portable video scoreboard, which is moved between the multi-purpose fields, and can be used at other events around Rantoul, such as Movies in the Park.
“The video scoreboards on our championship fields not only create game-changing experiences, they also allow us to sell first class advertising,” said Humphrey.
Both use Watchfire Ignite Sports software to score, create, and display player profiles, build advertising zones, and display customized branding.
“In addition, Watchfire’s ingenuity in creating portable scoreboards allows us to have a scoreboard on every field,” said Humphrey. “Our digital entrance sign enables us to customize messages to welcome guests, and display tournament logos or banners.”
The city selected Watchfire for the complex because officials felt that Watchfire provided the best product on the market.
“After touring the Watchfire operations in Danville, as well as other competitors’ operations, it became evident that the workmanship, ingenuity, and customer service set Watchfire apart,” said Humphrey.
Officials anticipate that Rantoul Family Sports Complex will be an economic development driver for Rantoul and Champaign County. The area site plan has designated space for the development of hotels, restaurants, and retail. In addition to job creation, the complex will provide an economic boost to the area through additional sales tax generated by athletes and visitors.
—Press Release
