Joining the WAC was the initial step towards national relevance for the UVU basketball program, and this fall it will enjoy the addition of high definition screens and a Jumbotron to its home arena.
“We are adding a Jumbotron with four HD video screens on each side,” associate athletic director Jared Sumsion said. “Each video board will be 13-feet wide by eight-feet tall. The bottom scoring portion of the Jumbotron will also be four digital boards 12-feet wide by two-and a-half-feet tall.”
The screens will permit fans to catch instant replays of game action, keep track of player stats and view the events taking place around the court. Other technological advancements around the arena will provide opportunities for advertising and marketing.
“Digital ribbons will stretch 114 feet across the north and south side of the arena (just under the Presidential North and South Suites),” Sumsion said. “Additionally, we will be adding four stat boards/scoreboards in all of the corners of the area and will have the capability to flash sponsor advertising during timeouts.
“We will also be adding 48 feet of digital scorers tables to the east side of the court and 24 feet of digital scorers tables to the west side of the court. The scorers tables can be transported to the PE Building for Volleyball and Wrestling matches.”
Men’s basketball head coach Dick Hunsaker was already content with the arrangement of the UCCU Center, but looks forward to the renovations.
“We have one of the best facilities in the country,” Hunsaker said. “Not in the state, in the country. With all those seats that are open and its uniqueness, I think it’s fantastic. Every recruit I bring into the arena always says nice things. The additional improvements are wonderful.”
The Orem arena already boasts the third-highest capacity in the WAC and though seating expansion is not a current topic, other improvements to facilities around campus are in progress to enrich the spectator’s experience.
“There is no talk of increasing the arena’s capacity in the UCCU Center at this time,” Sumsion said. “At some point we are anticipating increasing the seating capacity and overall fan experience in the PE Building. The enhancements in both the UCCU Center and PE Building will make our overall graduation experience much better for both our graduates and their family and friends.
“There will be two video boards going in the PE building, one on the east side and one on the west side. They will each be approximately 13-feet wide by eight-feet tall.”
The upgrades also extend to the softball field, which will soon feature a new scoreboard.
Fans may recognize the company that has been contracted to install many of the new components. YESCO recently installed new video screens in Energy Solutions Arena. The process is time consuming, though it is expected to be completed during the first month of collegiate basketball.
“We are anticipating completion of the project sometime in November,” Sumsion said. “There are many moving parts to the construction and implementation of a project this large. All of the existing scoreboards have already been moved, and YESCO is working on the project every day. When it is completed, we will have just a few days to get trained on running and implementing the new system while integrating it with our campus studios and broadcast services team.
“This situation is very fluid at this point. We are hopeful that the system will be up and running prior to the start of the basketball season.”
A double header is scheduled at the UCCU Center for Nov. 8, when the women’s team plays Nevada at 4 p.m. and the men’s team takes on IUPUI at 7 p.m.
