Conceptual Rendering

Ralph Engelstad Arena Installing Largest Centerhung In College Hockey From Daktronics

Main centerhung video board to feature 2,100 square feet

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Jan. 22, 2019 – Daktronics (NASDAQ-DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota, has continued a partnership with  Ralph Engelstad Arena to install the largest centerhung LED video display in college hockey in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Installation is slated for the summer of 2019 and will be live for the following hockey season.

"We are constantly searching for ways to enhance the fan experience," said Jody Hodgson, general manager of Ralph Engelstad Arena. "Our new centerhung video board will be the biggest and best in all of college hockey. It will provide approximately four times the amount of video space compared with our current display. Consistent with Mr. Engelstad's original wishes, every fan, in every seat, will have the same viewing experience because of the square dimensions and rounded corners selected for our new video board.

"We're not going to stop with a new video board. Our goal is to create the most digitally advanced hockey arena in the country. The new fascia, new entrance displays, new control room, new cameras and new lighting system are going to be fantastic improvements for our fans."

The new centerhung display will measure approximately 15.5 feet high by 135 feet wide to bring a massive viewing experience totaling 2,100 square feet for Fighting Hawks hockey fans and special event goers. It will feature 6-millimeter line spacing to bring high-resolution imagery to every seat in the arena.

This display is capable of variable content zoning allowing it to show one large image or be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics, animations and sponsorship messages.

"We are excited to continue our long-standing partnership with Ralph Engelstad Arena," said Matt Warnke, Daktronics sales representative. "Since the building opened, we have been trusted with enhancing an already great game-day environment and this new display system will entertain and impact the game-day atmosphere even more. This system, which includes the largest centerhung in collegiate hockey, will provide a digital canvas in a variety of areas within the arena offering many opportunities to inform and entertain fans. We are excited to see this new system in operation this upcoming summer and next season."

The centerhung configuration will also include an upper ring measuring 145.5 feet in circumference and a lower ring measuring 129 feet in circumference, both rings measuring 3 feet high. Two underbelly displays will each measure 9.5 feet high by 11.5 feet wide to appeal to those seated closer to the ice. All centerhung displays will feature 6-millimeter line spacing.

A new ribbon display mounted to the seating fascia will be added to the venue along with 34 LED vomitory displays above entrances to the seating areas. The ribbon will measure 2.5 feet high by 889 feet wide while each vomitory display will measure 2 feet high by 6 feet wide. These displays will feature 10-millimeter line spacing and allow for the opportunity to provide supplemental information to the main displays as well as highlight sponsors throughout events.

"We're very happy to help fund this project," said Kris McGarry of the Engelstad Foundation. "The fan experience is extremely important to my family. We remain committed to the UND hockey team and to the fans that are the lifeblood of the hockey program. We also know that time stands still for no one. We share the vision of the arena's management team to make sure that Ralph Engelstad Arena remains one of the most technologically advanced arenas in the country."

To integrate and control the new LED display system, two Daktronics Show Control user stations will be included with the installation. This industry-leading system provides a combination of display control software, world-class video processing, data integration and playback hardware that forms a user-friendly production solution. For more information on Show Control, visit www.daktronics.com/show.

About Ralph Engelstad Arena

Ralph Engelstad Arena, commonly referred to as "The Ralph", is a sports and entertainment arena located on the campus of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Ralph serves as the home of the North Dakota men's hockey program and seats 11,642 for hockey. The Ralph opened on October 5, 2001. 

​About Daktronics

Daktronics helps its customers to impact their audiences throughout the world with large-format LED video displays, message displays, scoreboards, digital billboards, audio systems and control systems in sport, business and transportation applications. Founded in 1968 as a USA-based manufacturing company, Daktronics has grown into the world leader in audiovisual systems and implementation with offices around the globe. Discover more at www.daktronics.com.

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Cautionary Notice: In addition to statements of historical fact, this news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are intended to enjoy the protection of that Act. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events. The Company cautions that these and similar statements involve risk and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectation, including, but not limited to, changes in economic and market conditions, management of growth, timing and magnitude of future contracts, and other risks noted in the company’s SEC filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for its 2018 fiscal year. Forward-looking statements are made in the context of information available as of the date stated. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur.

For more information contact:
MEDIA RELATIONS:
Justin Ochsner
Marketing
tel 605-692-0200
Justin.Ochsner@daktronics.com