The Daktronics Experience

What happens when a team is forced to relocate to a different stadium for their remaining home games during a pandemic? Explore that story and more as Justin and Matt are joined by Laura Johnson, Director Game Presentation & Live Events at the San Francisco 49ers. She shares her journey from a 5-year-old keeping score at parks and recreation basketball to Peoria Sports Complex to the 49ers and everything in between. She even shares her experiences of attending the Daktronics NFL User Group in Brookings, South Dakota.

• Peoria Sports Complex: https://www.peoriasportscomplex.com/ 
• Digital Audio Facade: https://www.daktronics.com/en-us/products/audio-systems/digital-audio-facade 

When an NFL stadium gets new Daktronics technology, they aren’t just handed the remote and told to have fun turning on their new TV. Our experts are on site for training to ensure they know how to maximize their new investment. Justin and Matt are joined by Ashley Cummings, Control System Specialist at Daktronics, to hear what it’s like to get NFL teams and venues up and running after their display installation. She also shares her path to her position, information about our upcoming NFL User Group and more.

The Texas Rangers opened their new ballpark, Globe Life Field, in 2020 during a pandemic. Justin and Matt talked with the Rangers’ Chris DeRuyscher, senior director of ballpark entertainment, and Colin Drake, Graphics Coordinator, to hear more about their new technology and control system, using the stadium during this year’s playoff bubble and much more.

• Texas Ranger Fact Sheet: https://daktronics.widen.net/s/dvru9hwt1l
• Texas Rangers News Release: https://www.daktronics.com/news/Pages/Texas-Rangers-Taking-Total-Control-With-Daktronics-Show-Control-System.aspx
• Texas Rangers Blog Post: https://blog.daktronics.com/2019/12/02/the-texas-rangers-daktronics-together-since-1994/ 

To hear about a unique scoreboard collection, Justin and Matt talk with Rob Hathaway, Minnesota Wild Mascot Coordinator and Daktronics scoreboard enthusiast. He opens up about his role with the Wild and the Xcel Energy Center, his scoreboard collection and how he uses them, and how it all got started with a gift from his parents.

• Xcel Energy Center Installation: https://www.daktronics.com/en-us/photos/details?pn=WP-18847&cid=131524
• Before and after of Xcel Energy Center’s centerhung: https://daktne.ws/2XsGO2L 

As our control systems continue to improve and advance, Justin and Matt sit down with Scott Davidson, Broadcast Systems Engineer at American Airlines Center, to talk about his experience with their recent Show Control upgrade. We also talk about Scott’s role and other stories surrounding his work at the venue.

• Daktronics Show Control Webpage: www.daktronics.com/showcontrol 
• American Airlines Center Website: http://www.americanairlinescenter.com/

What’s going on behind the scenes of professional baseball? During our Baseball User Group in Brookings, SD, Matt sat down with Tim Gunkel, Executive Director of Ballpark Technology and Procurement for the New York Mets, to find out. He shared his experience in baseball, how his team is focusing on the fan experience and what activities they employ, and his thoughts on the user group where teams are actively sharing ideas and learning from one another.

• New York Mets project photo: https://www.daktronics.com/en-us/photos/details?pn=WP-19900&cid=137135
• What’s new in baseball blog: https://blog.daktronics.com/2020/03/06/6-things-to-know-for-the-2020-mlb-season/