The Minnesota Vikings and Minneapolis Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) select Daktronics (NASDAQ-DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota, to design, manufacture, and install eighteen LED video displays featuring 13HD technology for the new stadium currently under construction in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A total of more than 25,000 square feet of video displays will work together to brand the Vikings home-game atmosphere and build a fan experience unique to the state.
The selection of Daktronics directly supports the employment of more than 200 local employees in the state of Minnesota working at Daktronics’ Redwood Falls factory. This facility recently underwent a $3.5 million expansion this past fall to include a total of more than 115,000 square feet of manufacturing space as a key component of Daktronics strategic business plan to handle projects of this magnitude. Employee excitement is soaring with the opportunity to build this project in Minnesota by Minnesotans.
“We’re proud to be selected by MSFA and the Minnesota Vikings to build on our long-standing relationship by locally manufacturing their new displays in the state of Minnesota at our Redwood Falls factory,” said Daktronics CEO Reece Kurtenbach. “The stadium will receive our premier 13HD technology that is currently being used in multiple professional sports facilities. The new display system will be a great addition the architecture of the stadium and will provide an amazing experience for fans at Vikings games and other events held at the stadium.”
“The stadium project has always been about Minnesota companies and Minnesota workers,” said MSFA chair Michele Kelm-Helgen. “The Daktronics contract is a good example of the economic impact of this project. We are thrilled to have a great company like Daktronics commit to the expansion of their manufacturing facility in Redwood Falls. We look forward to this partnership.”
The 13HD pixel layout featured in all of the new displays for this stadium is consistently chosen by premier facilities around the world including five professional football venues that installed this technology just last year.
“Our focus remains on providing a first-class experience to our fans,” said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. “When the process is over and we open this building in 2016, we want to say we did what we could to ensure the best game-day experience possible.”
In the west end zone, a main display measuring roughly 68 feet high-by-120 feet wide will serve as the focal point. This display features variable content zoning to show one large image or it can be zoned into multiple windows to show any combination of live video, instant replays, scoring information and statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.
Two wing displays—one on each side of the main display—will measure roughly 43 feet high-by-15 feet wide. These displays can supplement the main display or be joined with the main display to show one large image across the entire digital canvas for moments of extra emphasis and excitement.
A “skirt” display measuring roughly 9 feet high-by-64 feet wide will be installed at the field level to provide additional opportunities for graphics and sponsorships throughout events.
The east end zone is a mirror image of the west end zone where a main video display measuring roughly 50 feet high-by-88 feet wide will serve as the focal point of the east end zone. Two wing displays, each measuring roughly 25 feet high-by-15 feet wide, flank the main display. These displays all feature the same capabilities as those in the west end zone.
Circling the seating fascia will be three ribbon displays, one attached to the upper concourse measuring approximately 3.5 feet high-by-1,550 feet wide, one along the club level measuring approximately 2.5 feet high-by-1,475 feet wide, and one at the press level measuring approximately 5 feet high-by-225 feet wide. These displays provide the opportunity to showcase sponsors throughout events and to show additional scoring information, out-of-town scores and fantasy stats.
Eight sponsor displays measuring approximately 5 feet high-by-35 feet wide will also be installed throughout the north side of the facility to bring additional recognition to sponsors and advertisers.
Daktronics will also be including its powerful Show Control System with this installation. This industry-leading system provides a combination of display control software, world-class video processing, data integration, and playback hardware that forms a user-friendly production solution. For more information on Show Control, visit www.daktronics.com/show.
