University of Tennessee Athletics
Big Screen Creates Big-League Atmosphere at Lindsey Nelson Stadium
March 29, 2004 | Baseball
March 29, 2004
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| Tennessee's new scoreboard and video screen is the latest in a series of big-league perks at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. |
Like a major league manager in the heat of a pennant race, Tennessee baseball coach Rod Delmonico is doing a little scoreboard watching this spring.
Casting a shadow over right field is a new $390,000 Daktronics scoreboard and video screen, the latest in a series of big-league perks for Vols fans at 11-year-old Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
A 20-foot by 12-foot video screen beams a dose of reality television to Rocky Top, with instant replay, as well as photos and statistics of players displayed as they stride to the plate. With massive video boards already in place at Neyland Stadium, Thompson-Boling Arena, Tom Black Track and the Student Aquatic Center, Tennessee fans have access to more big screens than a clearance sale customer at Best Buy.
"I know when I go to a football or basketball game here, it's awesome to look up there and see that," Delmonico said. "It's almost like watching TV and being there at the same time. It's unbelievable."
But it's a less imposing scoreboard feature that catches the veteran coach's eye.
"I think the display showing the miles per hour of each pitch is an asset for us as a coaching staff," he said. "It's nice to be able to look up there and see how hard the other guy is throwing."
Knowing that they're on camera gives the Vols a daily jolt of adrenaline.
"It makes our players feel a little bit better about themselves because they see themselves up on the board," Delmonico said. "It adds atmosphere to our stadium and I think it's great for our fans."
The board is making an immediate impression on future Vols as well.
"It's something that only three or four programs in the country have and we're one that has it, so it's a tremendous asset in recruiting," Delmonico said.
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| New sections down the right and left field lines, complete with chairback seating, give fans an excellent view of the action. |
Additional off-season work is keeping Lindsey Nelson Stadium secure on its perch among the nation's premier ballparks. A serene coat of green has replaced advertisements on the outfield fence, and covers the grandstand as well. Aside from improving fans' sightlines, the paint is easier on the eyes of players picking up the ball out of the pitcher's hand or jumping off the bat. Under the press box are more than 100 new padded chairback seats, individually labeled with names of seat-license holders.
The press box is reconfigured, and there's new seating down the left- and right-field foul lines, with the bullpen moved out of the field of play, reducing foul ground and increasing the stadium's capacity to above 4,000.
" It's a little cozier atmosphere, the way we've banked the lines to allow those seats to have a little better angle and a better view of the game," Delmonico said. "With all of the improvements, the park is a lot different than it's been in the past. Once the fans fill up those seats down the line, I think they'll see that they're some of the best seats we have in the ballpark."
On Delmonico's scorecard, new athletics director Mike Hamilton gets a big assist in getting the renovations completed.
"We talked about it in 1997 or 1998 and then it got put on the back burner for 5-6 years," Delmonico said. "But when Mike Hamilton came in, he and (associate athletics director) Carmen Tegano and (executive associate athletics director) Gary Wyant got together and made it happen. You've got to give them credit."
Vols fans should look for more surprises ahead. The scoreboard is just the first phase of some $6 million in stadium improvements planned.
