Case Study -University of Central Arkansas

OVERVIEW

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA), located in Conway, Arkansas, is a dynamic public university with a strong reputation for academic excellence and a competitive athletics program. UCA’s athletic department hosts a wide variety of events, including football, soccer, and track and field, drawing significant crowds of students, alumni, and local community members.

Prior to 2023, UCA faced challenges in delivering real-time, visually engaging content during outdoor athletic events. With their existing outdoor scoreboard showing limited, basic information, the university sought to upgrade their facilities to provide a more interactive, dynamic experience for spectators. UCA’s goal was to create an improved fan experience, increase community engagement, and enhance the overall atmosphere at sporting events.

In response, UCA chose to install the Next LED Signs Outdoor Digital Scoreboard, a state-of-the-art digital solution that offers a range of features and functionality to meet the university’s goals.

CLIENT: University of Central Arkansas

PITCH: STAX 9.5MM
PIXEL MATRIX: 896px x 608px

Challenge

Before the installation of the Next LED Signs outdoor digital scoreboard, UCA encountered several key challenges related to event visibility, fan engagement, and operational efficiency:

Outdated & Limited Scoreboard The previous scoreboard was basic, with limited functionality. It could only display scores and basic game stats, making it difficult to keep spectators fully engaged, especially during long periods without scoring or other game updates.
Limited Fan Interaction UCA wanted to create a more engaging experience for fans by displaying dynamic content such as player stats, social media feeds, promotional messages, and sponsor ads. The old scoreboard could not support this type of interactive content.
Inability to Update Content in Real-Time Updates to the game or event information had to be manually changed on the old scoreboard, which created delays and sometimes led to inaccurate or outdated information being displayed.
Lack of Community Engagement While the university’s athletics events were important to the community, UCA was not effectively using its outdoor space to engage local fans, sponsors, or other stakeholders in a meaningful way. The lack of a modern, high-quality scoreboard hindered the ability to promote UCA athletics, showcase sponsors, and encourage fan interaction.
Weather and Durability Concerns Given that UCA’s outdoor events occur in various weather conditions, the existing scoreboard was not built to withstand extreme weather or outdoor elements, leading to reliability issues.

Solution

UCA’s athletics department turned to the Next LED Signs Outdoor Digital Scoreboard to address these challenges. The selection of the Next LED Signs solution was driven by several key factors:

High-Resolution, Full-Color Display The Next LED scoreboard is equipped with a full-color, high-definition display capable of showing detailed game stats, vivid graphics, and multimedia content, such as videos and animations. This helps attract and maintain fan attention, even in a large outdoor stadium.
Dynamic Content Display Unlike traditional scoreboards, the digital board can display a wide range of dynamic content, including real-time game scores, player statistics, sponsor messages, crowd engagement features, and even fan shout-outs via social media.
Real-Time Content Updates The Next LED Signs system allows for easy and immediate updates to content, thanks to a cloud-based content management system. This ensures that all information shown on the scoreboard is current and accurate throughout the game, including live score changes, game breaks, and timeouts.
Enhanced Fan Engagement The digital scoreboard enables fan interaction through social media integration, live fan polls, and trivia questions. Fans are encouraged to participate and interact with the game and the university, increasing the overall enjoyment and atmosphere of the event.
Weatherproof & Durable Designed specifically for outdoor use, the Next LED Signs scoreboard is weather-resistant and built to endure the Arkansas climate. It is engineered to withstand rain, high winds, and direct sunlight, ensuring consistent performance over time.
Energy-Efficient & Cost-Effective The digital scoreboard is energy-efficient, helping to reduce operating costs in comparison to traditional LED and mechanical scoreboards. Additionally, the low maintenance requirements result in long-term cost savings.

“Recently, our university partnered with Next to deliver a high-quality digital signage solution for our baseball and softball stadiums on a very tight timeline, and their team exceeded our expectations to ensure that we were ready for opening day. The digital scoreboards added to the student athlete experience and fan experience at our Baseball and Softball games that had been missing prior to installing these boards.”

— Darrell Walsh University of Central Arkansas

Results

The installation of the Next LED Signs Outdoor Digital Scoreboard has had a transformative effect on UCA’s athletic events and the overall fan experience. The following results highlight the positive impact of the new system

Enhanced Fan Experience: The high-resolution, full-color display has significantly improved the fan experience by making the game more visually engaging. Spectators now enjoy vivid graphics, detailed player stats, video highlights, and sponsor ads, all contributing to a more entertaining and interactive atmosphere during games.
Increased Fan Engagement: The ability to display fan-centric content, such as social media feeds, trivia games, and live polls, has boosted fan interaction. Fans feel more connected to the event and the university, leading to a more lively and engaged crowd.
Improved Communication: Real-time updates of game stats, player information, and sponsor messages have greatly improved the flow of communication. Fans can now follow the game with ease, stay up-to-date on key events, and interact with the scoreboard throughout the game. This has reduced confusion and enhanced the overall enjoyment of the event.

Revenue Generation Through Sponsorships: The dynamic nature of the digital scoreboard has opened new opportunities for UCA to generate revenue through sponsorships. Local businesses and corporate partners now have a high-visibility platform to promote their brands during events, making sponsorships more valuable.
Increased Attendance and Community Involvement: The upgraded scoreboard has contributed to greater community involvement in UCA’s athletics programs. The enhanced game-day atmosphere has led to increased attendance at outdoor events, as fans are drawn in by the modern and exciting features of the new scoreboard.
Durability & Reliability: The weather-resistant design of the Next LED scoreboard has proven to be reliable in the face of Arkansas’ unpredictable weather. The scoreboard has performed consistently, even in heavy rain or extreme heat, and has required minimal maintenance.
Cost Savings: UCA has benefited from lower maintenance and operational costs, as the digital scoreboard is energy-efficient and requires less upkeep compared to traditional mechanical systems. This has resulted in long-term savings for the university’s athletics department.

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