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Thursday, January 10, 2008

New scoreboard on deck for Oriole Park

Or as John Sterling always sez…“This isn’t a ballpark…IT’S A BANDBOX, A BANDBOX I’ZZ TELL YA!”

A major overhaul at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, considered by many to be baseball’s marquee venue, began Wednesday morning.

A crane started demolishing the original Oriole Park centerfield scoreboard. The scoreboard will be replaced by a larger $5.2 million, 24-by-74 foot video screen and LED board. Work on the new scoreboard is scheduled to be completed by the Orioles’ opening day on March 31.

...Other ballpark improvements include control room upgrades, high-definition TVs throughout the stadium, and improvements to the current sound system. All improvements are slated to be finished in time for the 2008 season.

“Upgrading the Oriole Park scoreboards, sound system and control room to state-of-the-art quality has been the Orioles’ goal for many years, and we are pleased to witness today’s important step in this process,” team spokesman Greg Bader said in a news release.

Repoz Posted: January 10, 2008 at 09:52 PM | 20 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: business, orioles

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1. DKDC Posted: January 10, 2008 at 10:07 PM (#2665741)

How about a new centerfielder instead?

2. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: January 10, 2008 at 10:28 PM (#2665761)

Not that I care espcially, but why start this on January 10th? Wouldn't it make more sense, timing wise, to do it in say, November?

3. Dr Love Posted: January 10, 2008 at 10:34 PM (#2665766)

Not that I care espcially, but why start this on January 10th? Wouldn't it make more sense, timing wise, to do it in say, November?

My guess is because of their fiscal cycle. You can't just order this stuff overnight, maybe the cycle started in December and because of that this is the earliest time it could be installed.

4. Craig Calcaterra Posted: January 10, 2008 at 10:36 PM (#2665767)

Best park in baseball. A shame it has the worst ownership.

5. The Piehole of David Wells, Depends Salesman

Posted: January 10, 2008 at 10:39 PM (#2665770)

are they replacing the whole structure, or just the screens? the structure is nice so i hope it's not going away.

6. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: January 10, 2008 at 11:53 PM (#2665810)

Yes, I was there last summer, and I agree with Craig. I had thought Kansas City was best, and yes, I've been to Fenway.

7. AJM Posted: January 11, 2008 at 12:18 AM (#2665818)

Well, if you aren't going to improve the team might as well improve something.

8. Hector Moreda & The Generalissimo Posted: January 11, 2008 at 12:34 AM (#2665828)

Pittsburgh's got Baltimore beat, hands down.

9. Rodder Posted: January 11, 2008 at 01:08 AM (#2665832)

1. Pittsburgh
2. San Francisco
3. Baltimore

10. Stevis Posted: January 11, 2008 at 01:20 AM (#2665838)

Is this because the old one couldn't go to 30?

11. Moneyball can't buy you love (Joey B.) Posted: January 11, 2008 at 01:21 AM (#2665840)

Since they're putting lipstick on the pig that is the Orioles and putting hi def TVs throughout the stadium, I wonder if this means that they're going to start broadcasting the games themselves in hi def as well. Like everyone else already is.

12. Craig Calcaterra Posted: January 11, 2008 at 02:34 AM (#2665863)

Pittsburgh's got Baltimore beat, hands down.

Went to PNC for the first time last summer and I have to admit, I wasn't as impressed as everyone else is. Don't get me wrong -- nice park -- just not as nice as I had heard. Had good tickets along the 3B line, and found them to be more cramped than usual. And while I was really excited about the smaller size of place before I got there, once inside I felt like the scale was off. It was bigger than a AAA park but didn't quite feel major league.

Of course it was the Pirates-Reds, so maybe that had something to do with it.

13. Russ Posted: January 11, 2008 at 03:00 AM (#2665876)

1. Pittsburgh
2. San Francisco
3. Baltimore

Build a great stadium; get a crappy team!

14. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: January 11, 2008 at 03:32 AM (#2665890)

...Other ballpark improvements include control room upgrades, high-definition TVs throughout the stadium, and improvements to the current sound system. All improvements are slated to be finished in time for the 2008 season.

They could "improve" the "sound system" by using it a lot less, instead of making lots of noise to distract fans from the game.

Admittedly, the team's performance in recent years could justify trying to distract us, but still. If we hated the team that much, we wouldn't show up.

15. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: January 11, 2008 at 04:00 AM (#2665911)

In other parks, are close plays - particularly those that go against the home team - replayed on the big screen? In Oakland and I assume (?) elsewhere, they are not. Presumably so as not to rile up the crowd at blown calls. Just wondering if this enormous fancy new video screen will show close plays.. something a enormous fancy video screen would actually be useful for.

16. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: January 11, 2008 at 04:26 AM (#2665926)

In other parks, are close plays - particularly those that go against the home team - replayed on the big screen? In Oakland and I assume (?) elsewhere, they are not. Presumably so as not to rile up the crowd at blown calls. Just wondering if this enormous fancy new video screen will show close plays.. something a enormous fancy video screen would actually be useful for.

Nope. It's against league rules. (It's somewhat odd, given that football has no problem showing every replay in the stadium, but that's the way it is.)

17. Best Regards, Larry M. Posted: January 11, 2008 at 04:57 AM (#2665942)

David, if you go to an O's game this year, make sure to stop by the press box and say hi.

18. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: January 11, 2008 at 05:35 AM (#2665961)

Huh. Thanks Mr. Nieporent.

19. frannyzoo Posted: January 11, 2008 at 05:43 AM (#2665968)

Yeah for post #10.

20. Boriole Forester Posted: January 11, 2008 at 03:45 PM (#2666119)

And in other Orioles news, they might finally resolve the problem of having the worst possible spring training facility:

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080110/BREAKINGNEWS/80110004/1086

Apparently, when you hit rock bottom, there is only one way to go. Or you can just sit there, I guess.

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Thursday, January 10, 2008

New scoreboard on deck for Oriole Park

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