Dragon Stadium to get new video scoreboard

Carroll school board trustees agreed to upgrade the Dragon Stadium scoreboard in a move that will also make money for the school district.

School board members voted 7-0 Monday to go forward on a planned contract with Daktronics Sports Marketing to design and install a high-tech scoreboard that can show commercials and instant replays.

Under the plan, South Dakota-based Daktronics will pay for the scoreboard, estimated to cost about $850,000. Working with the school district's communications and marketing department, the company will sell advertising rights for the scoreboard.

Advertising and sponsorship funds will pay for the project, not taxpayer dollars, said Julie Thannum, a Carroll district spokeswoman.

Daktronics regional development director Robert Dedmon said: "Daktronics is willing to take the risk. If we're not successful in reaching our goals, the district will owe us nothing."

Plans are to install the scoreboard, along with a new sound system, in time for next football season.

Administrators say estimates over 10 years show that scoreboard advertising could generate about $280,000 per year, which after marketing commissions and financing would net the school district $115,000 per year for its general operating fund.

Currently, advertising on the existing scoreboard generates about $37,000 per year.

Advertising throughout the stadium, including charges to put up signs inside the facility, generates more than $140,000 per year. That figure that could jump to $160,000 annually under the new marketing program, Thannum said.

School officials also researched a possible option to lease a scoreboard, but the idea proved too expensive, said Kevin Ozee, Carroll's athletic director.

The existing scoreboard was installed when the stadium opened in 2001 and although it is in working condition, the sound system needs to be replaced, officials have said.

The district is going forward with stadium expansion work, including installation of 1,600 home-side seats.

The district plans to keep the rights to certain stadium advertising, including all television broadcast and radio rights and rights to advertising on printed programs, concession cups and popcorn con

To see more of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, or to subscribe to the newspaper,

go to http://www.dfw.com. Copyright (c) 2010, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email

tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax

to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave.,

Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

For full details on Daktronics Inc (DAKT) DAKT. Daktronics Inc (DAKT) has Short Term PowerRatings at TradingMarkets. Details on Daktronics Inc (DAKT) Short Term PowerRatings is available at This Link.