Baylor University improving the fan experience at McLane Stadium

Baylor University has revealed plans to upgrade McLane Stadium with the installation of new video boards, the construction of new production control rooms, and the addition of a premium hospitality structure.

Baylor Athletics said the upgrades would come ahead of the Baylor football season this fall at the university in Waco, Texas.

The improvements meet a variety of needs that will update the facility. The LED ribbon board displays and the main video board display, which were original to McLane Stadium since its construction in 2014, have been upgraded to enhance both functionality and the visual elements of the fan experience.

A high-quality video display is being added to the back of the main video board structure to add revenue opportunities and enhance the South Plaza experience on game days.

The south end zone of McLane will become even more of a focal point during games, as a premium hospitality clubhouse will be added beneath the video board on the Dimmitt Garrison Family Berm, providing a one-of-a-kind experience along with a Berm-view of the action.

The construction of new production control rooms on the east side of the stadium will allow Baylor to produce multiple broadcasts at one time and fully centralize operations.

Baylor Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Mack Rhoades IV said:

We are excited about these important additions and improvements to McLane Stadium. These new elements will enhance what is already one of the best venues in college football. Each element has been carefully researched and selected to help us maintain an elite experience throughout McLane Stadium. 

We are grateful for the support of the Baylor Family, which allows us to invest in our facilities, and are deeply thankful to our partners from around campus, including the offices of Business and Finance, Construction Services, Facilities Management, BUPD, ITS, and others who lend their time and expertise to projects like this.

Additionally, our strategic partnership with Playfly Sports Properties and relationship with Daktronics have helped bring all of this to reality ahead of the upcoming season.

Daktronics is providing technical improvements in the form of seven new LED displays, a higher-resolution display on the main video board structure, and the backside video board facing the South Plaza.

Fans will also enjoy a new auxiliary video display on the north end of the stadium, two ribbon displays and two field-level displays.

Baylor Athletics’ multimedia rights partner, Playfly Sports Properties, is paving the way for a new premium hospitality clubhouse that will appear in the south end zone beneath the video board, allowing for three climate-controlled, field-view suites with each accommodating 50 guests. The primary function of this temporary structure will be geared toward corporate hospitality.

General seating in the Berm will remain available with the Clubhouse raised and placed at the back of the Berm area, allowing for plenty of GA seating closer to the field.

The McLane Stadium production control rooms will allow Baylor Athletics Creative staff, led by the BaylorVision crew, the ability to produce broadcasts for many Baylor Athletics events from one centralized location, and available for use by various network television partners to produce their broadcasts.

The production control rooms will feature two broadcast control rooms and two video board control rooms. The facility will feature isolated suites for audio, replay, video shading and engineering.

The latest technologies have been rolled into this new state-of-the-art facility. The fan experience will be further enhanced by the addition of new cameras, lenses, and super slow-mo capabilities. Space is also set aside for the future build-out of a studio for creative services and live production.

Baylor Deputy Athletics Director Jovan Overshown said:

Our team has been working hard, and we are thrilled to be able to showcase these improvements and additions to our fans. The new, high-resolution video board in the stadium, the backside video board visible from the Brazos River and the South Plaza, and new ribbon board displays throughout McLane Stadium are timely additions.

We believe our corporate partners and fans are going to love the brand-new Clubhouse, which will offer a truly unique experience and perspective on game days. And of course, we are thrilled for our incredible Creative and Production teams to have state-of-the-art control rooms. All of these exciting updates will simply add to our incredible home on the Brazos, McLane Stadium.

The main video board display will measure 47 feet high by 107 feet wide and will improve the resolution from a 15HD to 10HD pixel layout, significantly improving image quality and brightness. The auxiliary board at the north end of the stadium will measure 10 feet high by 49 feet wide and is a new element at McLane Stadium to provide fans additional stats and scores from around the country.

Once completed, the backside video board display will face the South Plaza and tailgating space and will measure 38 feet high by 80 feet wide featuring the same high resolution as main video display. The display will help keep fans connected during the game day experience.

In addition, two ribbon displays and two field-level displays will be upgraded. Each will feature the same high-resolution capability. The ribbon board displays along the seating on the east and west side of the field will span the length of the sideline seating and will continue to enhance the in-venue experience.

Sports Venue Business has launched a raft of new offerings under the SVB LIVE banner, including Networking Events and a Webinar Series, the pinnacle of which is the SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition, being held at Croke Park stadium in Dublin, Ireland, on October 9th and 10th, with an Opening Night Icebreaker on October 8th.