The Big House. Death Valley. Between The Hedges. Happy Valley. Although none of these terms are the actual names of these NCAA football stadiums, they resonate with any college football fan when it comes to attending a game. Sure, everyone knows the capacity of each of these stadiums, but which of these stadiums holds its own in the 21st century when it comes to being technologically-savvy?
In 2014 alone, there have been three new additions to the FBS Division 1 stadiums. These include: McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, home to the Baylor Bears in the Big 12, John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas, home to the University of Houston in the American Athletic Conference, and Benson Field at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, home to Tulane University in the American Athletic Conference.
As stadiums get larger, fans want the ability to see replays and be closer to the action from any seat. In 2013, the University of Wisconsin Badgers Camp Randall Stadium added a $5 million video screen and scoreboard, measuring in as one of the largest scoreboards in the NCAA at 50 feet high and 170 feet wide.
That’s a big video board. #badgers pic.twitter.com/Vl76uzrxOH
— Justin Doherty (@JDatWisconsin) June 7, 2013
As they say, “everything is bigger in Texas,” and the University of Texas, as well as Texas A&M are no strangers to that, boasting some of the largest scoreboards in the NCAA. The University of Texas Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium garners a scoreboard standing 55 feet tall and 134 feet long, with beautiful pixel pitch of 20mm and a resolution of 2064-by-848. Likewise, Texas A&M’s scoreboard at Kyle Field has a 1080 resolution and measures in at 47-by-163 feet, the largest in NCAA Division I football.
One other scoreboard to note is the University of Arizona’s Arizona Stadium, where the scoreboard measures in at 112 feet by 47 feet and is Xbox compatible due to its construction in 2011.
But technological advancements aren’t always about size. By fall 2014, The University of Iowa Hawkeyes invested $55 million into their football stadium, Kinnick Stadium, to include high-tech amenities, such as interactive kiosks, a 2,100 square foot player lounge with computer stations, and a public viewing area with video displays.
Being just down the street from Silicon Valley, it’s no wonder that Stanford University makes the cut on being one of the most technologically advanced stadiums. In partnership with AT&T, Stanford Stadium, became the first college to offer free Wi-Fi in the stadium as of 2011, allowing fans to watch replays and get real-time statistics on their GameDay Live app. They also allow fans to use their mobile devices to scan their tickets. Similarly, Texas Christian University, in partnership with AT&T, renovated and installed 140 antennas inside and around the stadiums to allow for 345 wireless access points in Amon G Carter Stadium.
As of September 13, The University of Mississippi began leveraging the beacon technology to enhance the fan experience during sports event and link to their rewards program. This mobile application is a pilot program with Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, along with four other college football stadiums for Xycast, a platform that teams and venue owners are using to enhance the fan experience before, during, and after their games to target fans on particular spaces throughout the stadium.
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Although some may not consider the color of the grass to be a technological advancement, it is interesting to consider that as technology has advanced, the use of various kinds of turf have become more popular as a playing surface. Probably one of the most well-known to this unique turf is Boise State at Albertsons Stadium. As of 1986, the Broncos changed their field color to blue, and has trademarked their hold on the blue field, licensing out the rights to use blue fields to other colleges and high schools alike.
As technology advances and the pull of the second-screen becomes more of a threat, it’s no wonder collegiate athletic programs are pouring money into continuing to strengthen their stadiums.
Whether it be larger scoreboards, or easier accessibility to Wi-Fi, there is no shortage of technological advancements that can continue to be made for fans to enjoy their NCAA game-day experiences.