Barrington High to debut larger HD video board at final football game
Barrington High School's last regular season home football game is expected to feature the debut of a new high-definition video board more than three times larger than the previous display.
Sponsorships totaling $650,000 obtained through a private fundraising campaign were used for the new main score and video board located in Barrington Community Stadium's south end zone.
The 10-year-old stadium also has been upgraded with an auxiliary scoreboard on the north end and two sideline clocks.
While the main board's time and score functions have been operating since the Broncos' football season began in August, fans have been anticipating the Daktronics 373-square-foot, HD screen for game video and information. The new screen, rivaling what's found at small colleges, will more than triple the size of the old 109-square-foot display.
Barrington Area Unit District 220 Superintendent Brian Harris said the new video board is set to debut Oct. 19 for the Broncos' 7:30 p.m. home finale against Palatine High School. He said a halftime ceremony will salute the sponsors who funded stadium improvements.
“It's going to be up and fully running that night and all the bells and whistles,” Harris said. “It's really cool.”
Barrington High's new video board won't just be a high-tech gizmo for spectators. It'll also be a learning opportunity for students in the school's award-winning television program.
Television production teacher Jeff Doles said BHS-TV students will create highlight videos and graphics for the board that will appear at several girls and boys sports. The students have a 1-year-old donated production van that'll be linked to the main scoreboard.
“Several others and I will be receiving training next week on the equipment,” Doles said.
District 220 school board members in the summer approved 10-year stadium sponsorship deals worth $650,000 with Motor Werks Auto Group, Long and Co. Jewelers, Lake-Cook Orthopedics, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Moretti's Ristorante and Pizzeria, Barrington Bank and Trust Co. and Wickstrom Auto Group. Officials at the time said the new stadium boards were projected to cost $571,000.
Barrington High Athletic Director Mike Obsuszt recommended replacement of the old scoreboard because it no longer had available parts or service. The company that built it, White Way Sign and Maintenance Co. of Mount Prospect, went bankrupt in 2014 and its assets later were purchased by another business.