Cowboys Score Big Boards

When Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas, unlocks its doors next month with a grand opening event featuring George Strait, even the cheap seats should be able to catch a crystal clear glimpse of the King of Country on the stadium’s massive new video screens.

Just how massive are we talking?

The four-sided HD LED display, designed and installed over the center of the field by Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Vision, could go up for the title of the world’s largest scoreboard in the Guinness Book of Records.

Featuring more than 10.5 million LEDs, the sideline screens measure 160 feet wide by 72 feet tall and weigh nearly 600,000 pounds each. The end-zone displays come in a bit smaller – 51 feet wide by 29 feet high.

“It will create an experience of watching a player like Marion Barber or like Felix Jones or Tony Romo in a way that no fan has ever seen it,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told the Dallas News.

According to the Cowboys, the screens could even create a premium on the value of upper-level seats, as fans in all levels will now be able to view all the hi-def action.

But the new video technology comes at a premium as well, ringing up at a reported $40 million.

Diamond Vision GM Mark Foster told the News the company was asked to break technological barriers with the installation of the display, which he called at times a “stressful challenge.”

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have some sleepless nights,” Foster said.

Along with the center-field screens, Diamond Vision outfitted the stadium with four 280 square-foot screens on the lower concourse, an upper level ribbon display and two Dallas Cowboys “ring of honor” displays.