New visual enhancements coming to the Ford Center

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – Your next trip to the Ford Center could be bigger and brighter as work is underway to install brand new high-definition video screens inside the arena. “If you’ve been here before, you’re going to notice it,” says Scott Schoenike, Executive Director for the Ford Center and Victory Theatre.

It’s a case of out with the old, in with the new. At 15 feet high and 97 feet around, the new center jumbotron will appear similar in size compared to the old, but Schoenike says the new fully digital board will cover more surface area.

“Overall, it’s the same square, but it’s actually gained some square footage due to the configuration,” explains Schoenike. “But the graphics now will go 360 degrees and it ends up being, it’s all digital, so there are no more stagnant signs, so you can do a lot more things. There’s a million different ways you can play with this new scoreboard.”

Crews will also replace ribbon boards around the arena, featuring the same crisp, HD view as the scoreboard. During basketball season, new screens will also be visible on courtside scoring tables.

“We want to put on a good show on the court,” explains University of Evansville Director of Athletics Ziggy Siegfried, “but a lot of times, what goes on around with jumbotrons, sound, everything like that, is really critical for that fan experience.”

Siegfried says the enhancements will up the ante for not just fans, but players and recruits. “These day’s everything’s digital,” says Siegfried, “so for our current players to be able to see their intro video and to see highlights popping up on the big screen above them, I think is critical.”

“For all practical purposes, it will be an NBA/NHL-level experience for those players,” adds Schoenike, “So that player experience, almost, is as big as the fan experience.”

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