Hays CISD considers upgrading scoreboard for Shelton Stadium

The Hays CISD Board of Trustees is considering replacing the current AV control system at Shelton Stadium, potentially in time for the district’s next football season.

According to the administration’s recommendation, an ungraded AV control system would not only enhance the stadium experience but also offer the ability for expanded student opportunities, and advertisement deals to offset cost.

“It’s important to enhance Shelton Stadium since it’ll be our district stadium for many years,” Superintendent Eric Wright said. “We’ve had ongoing problems with the old system at Shelton Stadium. An audio and video update would keep the stadium fresh and generate revenue.”

VCRNow, a technology organization specializing in comprehensive AV systems, presented to the board with a proposal package totaling an estimated $697,091.

“This is something we’ve done in tons of Texas school districts, even in small communities,” VCRNow CEO Jeff Anderson said. “Instead of this new scoreboard being something that’ll cost the district, it’ll create revenue. This will be a mutually beneficial relationship between the business of your community and your audience.”

Shelton Stadium’s current scoreboard is about 15 ft high by 25 ft wide. The proposed scoreboard is 45 ft high by 35 ft wide, with the video section being 20 ft high by 30 ft wide.

“$697,000 is a lot of money,” Board Trustee Courtney Runkle said. “We’ve lived through a couple years of COVID, so I can tell you a lot of things we can do with $700,000, but I appreciate this because I do think we’re going to get our money back. I want to be careful and make sure we have the numbers to show our taxpayers, and say we are going to get a return on this investment and here’s what that looks like.”

With a marketing plan, Wright expects to generate revenue from local businesses looking to advertise on the new scoreboard screen and create more student involvement.

“The board would pay for itself in about 3 to 5 years,” Wright said. “The money generated from ad revenue afterward would go to a Shelton Stadium fund for enhancement projects. And with broadcast journalism classes at each district high school, we would equip a room in the press box with a mixing board for those students to produce the games and create commercials for ads.”

The board is expected to vote on the agenda item at its next meeting, Feb. 28.

“I am more excited about the sound system,” Board President Vanessa Petrea said. “Right now, ours is grossly outdated. I can see the scoreboard fine, but I can see the benefit of having this.”