
University of Florida Ushers in New Era of Baseball Excellence With Florida Ballpark Daktronics has supplied a right-field videoboard, ribbon boards, Show Control system By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Monday, March 8, 2021 - 1:26 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
It's the dawn of a new age of collegiate baseball in Gainesville, FL. The University of Florida opened its 2021 campaign and the new Florida Ballpark with a win over intrastate rival Miami 2 weeks ago. The $65 million stadium, built with the latest video amenities by Daktronics, is more than fitting for a program that has become a perennial contender in the SEC and in the nation.
It doesn't matter if you're there in the morning, the afternoon, or the evening, it's impressive and has this aura, says John Gandy, associate director, marketing, University of Florida. We're fortunate to have another premiere facility where we can provide a high-quality and positive student-athlete experience.
A Pandemic Project: Construction Completed in Summer 2020 The venue has garnered much attention since its opening, but the project was originally discussed and conceived at the midway point of the 2010s. Through a diligent partnership between the institution's administration and athletics, the proposed plan was to erect the building on a parcel of land controlled by the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). Led by Assistant Athletics Director, Facilities, Bill Smith and IFAS VP Jeanna Mastrodicasa and Director, Facilities Planning and Operations, Kevin Heinicka, the two parties were able to pinpoint a 13.63-acre site for a blueprint that would materialize in March 2018.
The university held a groundbreaking ceremony in February 2019.
When we started thinking about doing this five years ago, Jeanna and Kevin approached us about a piece of land that they wanted to convert for different types of research, says Chip Howard, executive associate athletics director, internal affairs, University of Florida. They're both big baseball fans and understood what we were trying to do, so this partnership really got the ball rolling.
Dignitaries and high-ranking officials kickstarted the construction with a ground-breaking ceremony in February 2019. Aided by designer Populous and general contractor Brasfield & Gorrie, construction moved along without a hitch throughout most of that year, including installation of the 30- by 50-ft. videoboard in right field in April and the multiple ribbon boards in May. A majority of the build was completed prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, but the crew still needed to add some finishing touches after the remainder of the baseball season was postponed. With a little more time on their hands, the university and Brasfield & Gorrie operated with extreme caution and safety to refine any details.
We still had close to 200 onsite workers when the pandemic hit, Howard explains. We were able to stagger our crews, so there were no overlaps or multiple vendors working inside a single area. It granted us more flexibility to finish the project on a bit slower but safer pace since most of the construction was in an outdoor space.
The Florida Ballpark sign was installed atop the 30- by 50-ft. Daktronics videoboard in September.
After the brick and mortar were laid down, the technological team went to work on getting the stadium online with its control rooms in the College of Journalism and Communications' Weimer Hall. This portion of the process hit a few hiccups due to the pandemic's impact on shipping gear from across the country.
Whether it was coming from overseas or from within the country, adds Howard, there were some delays in equipment being shipped. Some of the gear backlogged or completely stopped shipping for about six months. Those were the last components that we put together before the opener in February 2021.
At the same time, at the beginning of January 2021, the facilities crew began work on an entirely new project for another high-profile program: Florida Gators football. To start that endeavor, the team needed to wait until the demolition of the baseball team's former home of 31 years, Alfred A. McKethan Stadium.
We had to complete this new baseball facility before we could demolish McKethan Stadium and start our football project, he notes. Even though we didn't have a hard deadline for completion, we did have the deadline to get the baseball staff in so that we could demolish the old property.
Lighting Up the Swamp: Daktronics Provides Video, In-Venue Firepower The venue's crown jewel, the Daktronics videoboard is configured for multiple uses throughout a game. From traditional lineups and statistics to sponsorship implemented in an engaging way, fans are treated to a well-rounded presentation with the help of the Daktronics DMP-8000 digital media player and Show Control system.
A LED ribbon board runs from first base to third base behind home plate.
[The videoboard] is wired through fiber to our two control rooms, Gandy explains. We have the ability to produce the linear show on SEC Network and the videoboard component [from Weimer Hall].
Associate Athletics Director Alicia Longworth, Gandy, and the rest of the production team are experimenting with different layouts on the new LED display, including wide video output (1,056 x 441 pixels), home and visiting lineup (160 x 441 pixels each), player headshots (896 x 441 pixels), two areas for sponsorship (160 x 159 pixels each), balls/strikes/outs and line score (736 x 110 pixels), and clock (150 x 49 pixels). With the Daktronics Scoring-Timing Interface (DSTI), real-time information can be updated and accurate during the game. Since the baseball team is always in the hunt for the College World Series in Omaha, NE, the v
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
10/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/04/2026
Frequency, the engine behind the worlds leading streaming television channels, today launched its AI platform for Frequency Studio, powering the entire channel ...
09/04/2026
Staines-upon-Thames, UK, 09, April, 2026 - Yospace, the trusted leader in Dynam...
09/04/2026
just:play pro 2026 and just:live pro 2026 Sneak Preview News for NAB 2026
More Details:At NAB 2026, ToolsOnAir will showcase just:play pro 2026 and just:live p...
09/04/2026
just:in mac pro 2026 - The Next Level of Professional Recording on macOS at NAB ...
09/04/2026
Zixi will demonstrate IP-based live video workflow solutions at NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2057).
The industry is moving quickly toward IP-based distribution as br...
09/04/2026
Global women's elite sports revenues are expected to reach at least $3 billi...
09/04/2026
Monitor engineer Gavin Tempany mixed Kylie Minogue s Tension Tour on a Solid Sta...
09/04/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at NAB Show 2026 (Booth C5507), debu...
09/04/2026
With the 2025-26 NBA regular season concluded and the playoffs beginning next we...
09/04/2026
Telestream and Mimir have announced an integration connecting Telestream's V...
09/04/2026
Bitmovin has expanded its Live Encoding and Observability solutions to provide r...
09/04/2026
The Nashville Predators and Scripps Sports have announced a multi-year media rights agreement covering local preseason, regular season, and first-round playoff ...
09/04/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC has announced a partnership with Beam Dynamics to offer the Beam Asset and License Intelligence Platform to its clients. The platfor...
09/04/2026
Lawo has unveiled Edge One, a combined video and audio stagebox for broadcast and Pro AV workflows. The device will be on display at NAB Show (Booth C2108, Apri...
09/04/2026
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) will host the SMPTE ST 2110 IP Media Roadshow on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the Las Vegas Conven...
09/04/2026
The Atlanta Braves have completed upgrades to video displays in and around Truist Park ahead of the 2026 MLB season. The upgrades include the Delta Out-of-Town ...
09/04/2026
The University of Southern California has contracted Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota, to manufacture and install 22 LED displays across fou...
09/04/2026
Backlight, the media technology company behind Iconik and Wildmoka, will showcase its Creative Operations Platform at NAB Show 2026 (Booth N2829, April 19-22). ...
09/04/2026
MotoAmerica and V10 Entertainment have announced a partnership to broadcast MotoAmerica Superbike racing on VICE TV for the 2026 season. Coverage begins live on...
09/04/2026
Proton Camera Innovations has announced the appointment of Tod Musgrave as US Sa...
09/04/2026
Designed specifically for live sports broadcasting, new platform features IP-nat...
09/04/2026
Blending 1990s DNA, modern motion theory, and a distinctly colorful brand identi...
09/04/2026
Technical capability is essential, but long-term success often depends on how we...
09/04/2026
15 feature films, including fiction and documentaries, along with six short film...
09/04/2026
Spotify has always been about putting listeners in the driver's seat. Today, people don't just want more ways to spend their time; they want that time t...
09/04/2026
Our Chief Public Affairs Officer Dustee Jenkins shares how we're building a more positive experience for families on Spotify.
As Spotify's Chief Public...
09/04/2026
Festival season is upon us. From sun-soaked weekends out west to iconic stages in Chicago and New York, fans are getting ready to see their favorite artists liv...
09/04/2026
O Spotify sempre teve como foco colocar os ouvintes no controle. Hoje, as pessoas n o querem apenas mais formas de passar o tempo - elas querem que esse tempo s...
09/04/2026
Read the original note in English here.
Nossa Chief Public Affairs Officer, Dustee Jenkins, compartilha como estamos construindo uma experi ncia mais positiva ...
09/04/2026
New synth focuses on sci-fi scoring
Following their formation and debut releases in December 2025, Smokestack Sounds - the brainchild of composer and produc...
09/04/2026
Latest version set for May 2026 launch
Reason Studios have revealed that the latest version of their DAW software will be launching in May 2026. Currently a...
09/04/2026
New EQ aimed at mix-bus & mastering duties
Shy Audio's first two releases focused on the past, delivering recreations of the budget mixers that were com...
09/04/2026
Based on John Galsworthy's novels known collectively as The Forsyte Saga a...
09/04/2026
The Forsytes has been renewed for a third season before the period drama has even premiered on PBS Masterpiece.
The adaptation of John Galsworthy's novel, ...
09/04/2026
IThe BBC has commissioned new drama The Witch Farm, starring Gabrielle Creevy (T...
09/04/2026
The next big thing To help broadcasters fully embrace dynamic hybrid workflows, Calrec will make a major announcement that unlocks even more freedom for broadca...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
Purpose Built Monitoring From Live Production to Master Control to OTT, Across On Prem and Cloud Environments
At the 2026 NAB Show (April 19-22, Las Vegas Con...