San José, Calif. – There was an elephant in the room at CEFCU Stadium for Saturday night's football game against Air Force.
That elephant came in the shape of a brand new, state-of-the-art scoreboard and video board, towering over the North End Zone at the Home of the Spartans. The new display is just one of the many new attractions coming to the end zone, an area that will eventually include bar height tables, outdoor couches and lounge areas available on the patio space beneath the new board.
"The new scoreboard on the north end of CEFCU Stadium will vastly improve the fan experience and provide in-game engagement that has never before been available to our constituencies," says Athletics Director Marie Tuite. "The new scoreboard continues the incredible momentum of repurposing South Campus and is an incredible addition to CEFCU stadium. San José State Athletics thanks Vice President for Administration and Finance Charlie Faas and University leadership for their commitment to improving CEFCU Stadium beyond the Spartan Athletics Center that will occupy the east side."
The Spartan Athletics Center will be a multi-story structure centralizing all of Spartan Football's needs into one state-of-the-art building. The new facility will enhance all facets of football and soccer operations and provide a first-class environment for student-athletes to succeed both in the classroom and in competition. Included in the new operations center will be locker rooms, an auditorium, offices, spectator seating on the 50-yard line and a Hall of Champions event space.
The enhancements that have already been made around South Campus aren't going unnoticed by San José State's student-athletes.
"We have already come a long way since I arrived here and you can tell it's starting to pay off," senior wide receiver Bailey Gaither says. "They haven't let their foot off the gas. The new scoreboard looks great and we've got the whole new Spartan Athletics Center coming in. A lot of good stuff is happening around here and it's exciting to be a part of."
The new display has the ability to feature multiple pieces of content simultaneously, showing any combination of live video, instant replays and up-to-the-minute statistics.
"The video board is going to be a game-changer for CEFCU Stadium," says Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing, Digital Media and Licensing Ryan O'Rorke. "This enhancement allows us to continue to innovate when it comes to the fan experience at Spartan football games. Between top-of-the-line video and audio equipment, live stats incorporation and the increased and enhanced fan entertainment capabilities, Spartan fans will be in for a treat when they are welcomed back to CEFCU Stadium."
New views ??#SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/gI1j8Cy0Jv
— San José State Football (@SanJoseStateFB) October 17, 2020
With fans currently not allowed to attend games due to COVID-19 restrictions set by Santa Clara County, the athletics department has still found a way to connect some of the team's biggest supporters with the players and coaches.
Each week, donors and season ticket holders of the game are selected to produce a 15-second video introducing themselves while adding a message of encouragement for the football team.
The effort to thank those fans for their support is just one of many ways the display will be used to connect the Spartans in the stands with the ones on the sideline.
"This is just what we needed," Gaither says. "It feels even more like home now."