UNM begins University Stadium improvements with video board replacement
The video board at University Stadium is undergoing a $1.5 million upgrade over the summer.
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It measures 80 feet by 32 feet 鈥� hardly small by any definition.
But at least to Fernando Lovo, it鈥檚 the start of something much bigger.
New Mexico has begun replacing the video board behind the north end zone at University Stadium, the first in a series of planned upgrades to the 64-year-old football stadium鈥檚 fan experience.
The new video board will be ready by the Lobos鈥� home opener against Idaho State on Sept. 6, according to a . Lovo, UNM鈥檚 first-year athletic director, said Wednesday that the new board cost around $1.5 million, and will be paid for with the $11.5 million in capital outlay funds allocated to UNM athletics during this year鈥檚 legislative session.
The video board鈥檚 pixel panels are being replaced to provide 鈥渟harper images and an enhanced atmosphere,鈥� according to the release; the size of the board itself will not change as part of the renovation. The first video board was installed in 2013.
鈥淲hen I first got here, I looked at some various high-level things that needed to be addressed quickly, and that was one of them,鈥� Lovo said. 鈥淥ur video board was over 10 years old and those exterior boards, once they get past that, they鈥檙e living day by day.鈥�
The remainder of the capital outlay funds will be dedicated to a 鈥渕ulti-step鈥� process improving University Stadium and its fan experience, Lovo said. The Lobos鈥� first-year athletic director did not share specifics, but promised 鈥渦nique initiatives鈥� for fans inside and outside the stadium.
Further changes to University Stadium could be in store. Lovo said UNM has sent out a request for proposal to solicit architects鈥� assistance with a possible renovation plan. The AD cited larger concerns (the stadium鈥檚 lack of concourses) and smaller, amenity-based issues (improving restrooms and concessions) as potential areas for improvement.
鈥淭hese are simple things that unfortunately cost quite a bit of money to fix,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut if you start chipping away at some of those things, I think the experience gets better.鈥�
Regarding the in-game fan experience, Lovo said he wants UNM鈥檚 scripting of music and public address announcements to remain 鈥渄ynamic鈥� with what鈥檚 happening on the field.
鈥淚t can鈥檛 be sterile 鈥� Of course, the more fans and more butts we get in seats at University Stadium, the better everything will get,鈥� he added. 鈥淏ut we got to be really mindful about scripting our games and having some flexibility in our scripts to be able to react to the momentum and the ebbs and flows of a football game.鈥�
