HKS Architecture has unveiled the design plans the new Salt River Fields at Talking Stick spring training stadium, which will be the new shared home for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies. The design follows in the footsteps of the Camelback Ranch spring training facility for the Dodgers and the White Sox in that it is being deemed a "destination-driven environment" for fans.

Salt River Fields also highlights how clubs are reaching out to new methods of funding. The 140-acre spring training home of the two clubs is the first training facility built on Native American land. Owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the complex consists of separate training facilities and clubhouses accommodating each team as well as an 11,000-seat central stadium.

The Community’s theme for the ball park is “Two Teams – Two Tribes – One Home.”

The two teams housed in the venue are the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies: the two tribes are the Pima and Maricopa tribes which comprise the Community.

The expansive facility is set to open on February 1, 2011, and is located at Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road, on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land.

According to Mo Stein, FAIA, principal and director of HKS’s Phoenix office, Salt River Fields will be active 365 days a year. “The Diamondbacks and Rockies will have a baseball presence for training at all levels as well as community activities including youth camps, community events, festivals and retreats – boosting the local economy year round.”

Mortenson Construction is the general contractor for Salt River Fields.

SELECT EACH IMAGE BELOW TO SEE IN HIGH-RES

Aerial perspective looking at the Rockies’ Clubhouse with the main stadium in the background	Aerial perspective looking at D-backs’ Clubhouse with the main stadium in the back ground
Players’ perspective entering the main stadium from the Colorado Rockies’ Clubhouse	Aerial perspective above home plate entry looking back toward the outfield lawn seating
Main stadium view from the edge of the third base party deck looking back toward the first base party deck	The Home Plate main entry welcomes fans with an entry bridge  over a cascading water feature
A site plan of the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick complex

Source: HKS Architecture

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey, as well as a contributor to FanGraphs and Forbes SportsMoney. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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The Milwaukee Brewers today unveiled designs and specifications for the new high definition Miller Park scoreboard, which will be installed prior to the start of the 2011 regular season. The scoreboard is being designed, manufactured, and installed by Daktronics Inc.

The new video board features a single screen, pure high definition display, and will be the third-largest scoreboard in Major League Baseball at 5,940 square feet. The only larger boards in Major League Baseball are Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium (8,900 square feet) and Phoenix’s Chase Field (6,200 square feet).

The new video board will replace the existing 1,296 square foot video board and the 2,432 square foot matrix board.

In addition, the new video board will be just the third true 1080 display  in baseball, and the fifth in existence in all major US sports venues. Other facilities featuring 1080 displays include Yankee Stadium (Yankees), Target Field (Twins), Cowboys Stadium (NFL Dallas Cowboys) and American Airlines Center (NBA Dallas Mavericks).

“When you factor in the overall size and resolution of the new display, we believe this will be the finest video board in Major League Baseball,” said Brewers Executive Vice President – Business Operations Rick Schlesinger. “This is going to be a spectacular addition to the fan experience at Miller Park in 2011.”

The current Miller Park video board features 133,624 pixels. The new high definition display will have 2,358,720 pixels, giving it nearly 18 times better resolution.

“Daktronics is excited to continue our partnership by providing the most impactful and visual piece yet,” Tony Mulder, Daktronics Sales Manager. “This true high definition video display experience will greatly enhance what is already one of the premier facilities in Major League Baseball.”

The video display system will utilize Daktronics newest 15 millimeter LED technology, featuring a tighter resolution and improved image quality, and will measure approximately 54 feet high by 110 feet wide. This technology and its control system allow for complete flexibility in programming. The video board can operate as a single giant display, or be divided into multiple zones (windows) to show a wide variety of statistics, information, graphics, animation and live and recorded video.

“Quite simply, the difference in quality and scope from what we currently have at Miller Park will be staggering,” Schlesinger said.

The Stadium’s video and audio consultant, Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon and Williams is working with the Brewers and the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District through all steps of the process in developing the new scoreboard.  Mortenson Construction, a leader in sports facility construction and southeastern Wisconsin’s largest builder, is serving as General Contractor for the project.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Brewers to deliver this state-of-the-art scoreboard to Miller Park and the community,” said Andy Wiegman, Construction Executive for Mortenson Construction.  “Our unique blend of sports facility construction combined with our experience completing similar projects across the nation will ensure the successful installation of this new high-definition video display.”

The scoreboard project also will include renovations and upgrades to portions of the Miller Park sound system.

The new high definition video display system will be completely integrated with the existing Club level Ribbon Board and Out of Town Scoreboards that were installed by Daktronics in 2006. Outside Miller Park, Daktronics installed a double-sided marquee display (the I-94 Message Board) in 2005.

Select READ MORE to see additional facts and figures related to the new High Definition Scoreboard

A fan, leaning out to grab a foul ball during the fifth inning of the game between the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, fell approximately 30 feet from section 235 in the club level to  of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to the lower seating bowl below. The event occurred at approximately 8:30pm when Nelson Cruz of the Rangers sliced a ball foul.

The fan was immediately tended to by EMS and a statement from the Rangers said they are monitoring reports from John Peter Smith Hospital. The club said in the statement that the fan was able to move all his extremities, and was responsive to paramedics when the EMS workers reached him.

Four other individuals seated in the lower bowl were treated in the first aid area at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. None were transported to the hospital.

Play was stopped for 16 min. while the fans were tended to.

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey, as well as a contributor to Forbes SportsMoney blog. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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The Boston Red Sox today unveiled a new statue dedicated to Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky and Ted Williams at Fenway Park. The statue recognizes the remarkable bonds of camaraderie that these four Red Sox legends enjoyed for over half a century, first as teammates, and then as lifelong friends, the story of which was immortalized in David Halberstam’s memorable book The Teammates – Portrait of a Friendship. Created by sculptor Antonio Tobias Mendez, the new statue, featuring the four men standing shoulder to shoulder holding baseball bats, is located immediately outside Gate B at Fenway Park, at the intersection of Van Ness and Ipswich Streets in Boston.

“They were the greatest of players and the best of friends,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John W. Henry. “We felt that it would be fitting to dedicate a statue to the memory of not just their time on the hallowed field of Fenway Park but also to the steadfast loyalty and devotion they had for one another as well as their lifelong love for the game of baseball.”

Click to see Teammates statue plaque in larger view

Doerr, DiMaggio, Pesky and Williams were all teammates on the Red Sox of the 1940s and parts of the 30s and 50s. Doerr was the first to don a Red Sox uniform in 1937. Williams came aboard in 1939, DiMaggio in 1940 and Pesky in 1942. They were all All-Stars and are members of the Red Sox Hall of Fame. Doerr and Williams have also been enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Beyond their playing careers, all four men forged an uncommon friendship that lasted long after they retired as active players. They had all grown up on the West Coast – Doerr in Los Angeles, DiMaggio in San Francisco, Pesky in Portland, OR and Williams in San Diego – and that common background brought them closer to each other. They also all served in the military – Doerr in the Army, DiMaggio and Pesky in the Navy, and Williams in the Marines during World War II. Williams also answered the call of duty a second time during the Korean War.

The figures of all four players on the statue are depicted as they appeared in 1946, together with similar uniform styles, caps and spikes. The scale of each of the four figures on the sculpture is 120% of their actual height. Ted, who was the tallest of the four in real life at 6 feet 3 inches, is the tallest figure at 7 feet 6 inches. Following the same scale, the figure of Bobby Doerr is approximately 7 feet 1 inch while the figures of Dom DiMaggio and Johnny Pesky are both about 7 feet tall. Each figure weighs about 500-600 pounds and is made of cast bronze. The pedestal weighs approximately 15 tons and is made of Deer Isle Gray solid granite from Deer Isle, ME. It is 3 feet tall, 10 feet wide and 5 feet deep.

The existing Ted Williams statue of him putting a cap on the head of a child who is a patient at the Jimmy Fund has been moved a few feet down Van Ness Street to accommodate both statues alongside each other. The Williams statue, which remains unchanged in other respects, was moved earlier this week to accommodate the larger ‘Teammates’ statue on a spot where its width would not block access for fans through Gate B.

The selection of June 9 as the date of dedication comes on the 54th anniversary of June 9, 1946, a date on which all four teammates contributed immensely in winning both games of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers with scores of 7-1 and 11-6. Ted Williams had a home run in each game and his blast in the second game, which measured at 502 feet, is still the longest home run ever hit at Fenway Park. DiMaggio had a home run and a triple in the second game along with a 2-run single in the first game. Pesky hit safely in both games and had 3 RBI, and while Doerr did not record a hit, he contributed with 8 putouts and 7 assists while playing in both games.

The creation and installation of the statue is being funded entirely by the Boston Red Sox as a gift to the City of Boston and the fans of Red Sox Nation.

SELECT READ MORE TO SEE QUOTES FROM BOBBY DOERR, JOHNNY PESKY, FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE DiMAGGIO AND WILLIAMS FAMILIES, AS WELL AS, SCULPTER TOBIAS MENDEZ

In the, “Great idea for a statue department”. . .

The Boston Red Sox will unveil a new statue outside Gate B at Fenway Park dedicated to Red Sox legends Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio, and the bonds of their remarkable friendship, which was immortalized in David Halberstam’s poignant 2003 book The Teammates: Portrait of a Friendship on Weds. June 9 at 10:30am.

Sculpted by Maryland based sculptor, Antonio Tobias Mendez, the statue features all four men standing alongside each other in a group with baseball bats in their hands.  The new statue will be located immediately outside Gate B at Fenway Park.

As to who will be in attendance, a statement from the Red Sox simply says, “Local elected leaders; City of Boston officials; Red Sox Ownership, Front Office Executives and Staff; Red Sox Alumni and other notable guests. Given that Doerr now lives in Oregon, and has scaled back travel due to his age, if he’s in attendance, it would a great thing for Red Sox fans.

SUPPORTING CONTENT:

• Bobby Doerr Interview with Maury Brown
• Johnny Pesky Interview with Maury Brown

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey, as well as a contributor to Forbes SportsMoney blog. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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Image of the interior of the Marlins Ballpark construction dated May 19, 2010

The New Marlins Ballpark rising in Little Havana has hit a new milestone. The first piece of structural steel to support the fixed roof has been erected. This 24,000 pound plate beam is the first of 13 plate beams which will form the fixed steel structure on the west side of the ballpark. This steel will continue to be erected over the next several weeks and the west canopy is expected to be completed by early July.

• See the Marlins Ballpark camera
  
• See high-resolution renderings of the Marlins Ballpark
  

"After obtaining our master building permit from the city last week, it allows us to focus our energy on the construction of the ballpark and the Public Infrastructure. The timing of this new milestone is critical to delivering this project on-time and on-budget," said Claude Delorme, Executive VP of Ballpark Development. "With more than 34% of our schedule behind us, our attention shifts to the fixed and movable roof for the next 13 months."

The construction manager, Hunt/Moss will continue to erect the structural steel pieces along the east, south, and north sides of the ballpark. The entire fixed canopy is expected to be completed by January 2011. Some of the Miami-based companies working on the installation of the structural steel pieces are Omega Steel (decking), George's Welding (miscellaneous fabrication), El Champion Painting (painting), RJR Construction (providing grout), A&B Hardware (miscellaneous supplies), and The Finest Towing (trucking services).

In the coming weeks, the shoring tower erection will begin on the west side of the project. This will provide temporary support for the retractable roof structural steel. Erection of these shoring towers will continue through June. Erection of the retractable roof will continue through August 2011. Structal is the fabricator of the structural steel and LPR Construction Co. is the erector. Miami-based D.K.G. & Associates, Ltd. is providing a significant amount of the mobilization and shoring tower efforts for this portion of the project.

Source: Florida Marlins

SEE MORE ON THE MARLINS BALLPARK

• Video Display At New Marlins Stadium to Have Angular Feel
  (The Biz of Baseball)
• Florida Marlins Fire Latest Shot In The Jumbotron Wars
  (Forbes SportsMoney)

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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Daktronics Inc. (Nasdaq-DAKT) announced today that it will provide a custom-designed, integrated scoring and video system for the New Marlins Ballpark opening in the spring of 2012. The multi-million dollar contract with Hunt/Moss, A Joint Venture, includes a unique high definition video display, multiple digital ribbon boards, pitchers display, out-of-town game display, ticket window displays, digital clocks and control system. Installation of the first of many displays is scheduled to begin during the fall of 2011.

“Daktronics is known throughout the industry as the leader in providing these types of integrated systems that include multiple displays showing a wide variety of content,” said Claude Delorme, Executive Vice President of the Florida Marlins. “With their broad product line, control system with superior data integration capabilities, and their experience working new construction projects, Daktronics was clearly the best choice. I know Marlins fans will absolutely love the new ballpark. The digital display technology will be a huge part of the game day presentation.”

“Daktronics not only understands the needs of the end user, but also the importance of the design of the system’s components to make the installation go smoothly… getting done on time, safely and within budget,” said Pat Delano, Construction Manager with Hunt/Moss. “Daktronics’ experience and expertise in sports venues brings the added value required to meet the owner’s expectations.”

The super system’s high definition video display, one of the ballpark’s signature features, will measure approximately 101 feet wide (top of display) and 51 feet tall. Daktronics popular HD-X LED video technology will populate the uniquely shaped board.

Daktronics patented ProRail cabinet design will be used with the digital ribbon boards on the fascia, providing improved sight lines and reduced construction costs. A total of six digital ribbon boards will be incorporated in the seating bowl and at the ballpark’s entry gates, the longest more than 950 feet that will stretch from the right field line to left field line on the club level fascia.

Two additional displays will be positioned within the left field wall, the largest of which will measure nearly 100 feet wide and will be used primarily to display stats and scores from out-of-town games in real time. Two pitcher boards will keep fans in the know regarding each pitcher’s performance. Other full-color displays will be positioned behind left and right field, and another near the main ramp. Additional components include numerous ticket window displays, backlit signage, and scrolling signage.

“Daktronics is pleased to make this important announcement,” said Kyle Adams, Regional Sales Manager for the Company. “The Marlins’ integrated system will be one of the most capable in all of the world. Our engineering, manufacturing, project management and support teams are up to the challenge of creating and supporting this super system for years to come.”

Included as part of the New Marlins Ballpark project will be Daktronics video image processing technologies and the new Show Control system. According to Daktronics, "The company’s video processing system is touted by experts as the best in the industry, processing and scaling live and recorded video signal to vivid digital imagery on large displays. The Show Control system is the one of the latest developments from Daktronics, providing a power combination of control software, data integration, and playback hardware that forms a comprehensive production solution."

For more on Show Control, visit www.daktronics.com/show.

As part of the contract, Keyframe, the creative services division of Daktronics, will be creating a large amount of graphical and animated content to run on the displays during the 2012 baseball season. Content will include logos for the Marlins and their sponsors, numerous crowd prompts, noise meters, headshot templates, starting lineups and specific content for the various information displays.

Source: Daktronics

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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Put this on the, “You know you want one,” list for the backyard...

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. and the Seattle Mariners announced today that a new, Full HD 82” LCD Weatherproof “Street Display” has been installed at Safeco Field.

The display is more than just a standard HD encased in plastic. The street display being installed by SANYO has waterproofing, dust protection and cooling technology, which can allow it to be used in the wet and the cold, along with those hot days on the edge of Puget Sound. The display features high brightness and advanced cooling control mechanisms for those days when direct sunshine and heat hit the mega display. Weatherproof monitors will allow the stadium to display contents for ads or public information with clarity and brightness even outdoors.

“This 82-inch LCD monitor will give us a new way to provide information to our fans at Safeco Field without having to worry about the effects of weather.  We are very happy that SANYO chose to make its entrance into the North American digital signage market here at our home ballpark,” said Bob Aylward, Executive Vice President Business Operations, Seattle Mariners.

The signage serves a dual purpose, providing pertinent information to customers and the general public, as well as conveying sponsor messaging. Digital signage is very big in North America and Europe. Along with the proliferation of digital signs, there is also a shift to network the devices, and it is estimated that the market for digital signage will continue to grow to a market scope of approximately $2 billion in North America, and is said that it will expand to about $10 billion by 2015 (according SANYO forecasts).

“It is our privilege on this occasion to have the Mariners install our first large 82-inch LCD Weatherproof Street Display,” commented Mitsuru Homma, Executive Vice President of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. “With this prominent appeal to our latest innovation in digital signage, this type of large monitor has officially made our presence known in the North American digital signage market.”

The Mariners are slated to purchase and install approximately 250 SANYO TVs in their stadium this fiscal year, and when combined with the TVs already installed, the number of SANYO TVs in Safeco Field will be 656 units.

Main Features of 82” LCD Weatherproof Display

1. Industry's top class 82”, high brightness (1300 cd/m2) LCD panel, with flexibility to adjust brightness dependent on ambient lighting conditions (1300 cd/m2 to 280 cd/m2)
2. Waterproof, dust-proof design with reinforced glass to allow installation outdoors in a variety of environmental conditions
3. Built-in heat pipe and compressors to create a unique cooling system, allowing placement or installation even under sunlight conditions outdoors

Business of Sports Network Launches Autism Awareness Campaign

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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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In recognition of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Major League Baseball Clubs will host a variety of greening events and incorporate environmental initiatives into their games to help raise awareness for environmental issues. In the lead up to April 22, on Earth Day, and throughout the remainder of the season, the Clubs will host special events at their parks, educate fans about environmentally responsible behavior, conduct green events in their cities and initiate a host of other activities designed to promote the importance of environmentally friendly practices.

In addition, as part of Major League Baseball’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, MLB is developing, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a comprehensive software system to collect and analyze stadium operations data to develop and distribute best practice information across the 30 Clubs. This is the first time a professional sports league will implement a software program throughout the league to collect data for the purpose of documenting environmental practices and for sharing information about environmental best practices at stadiums.

“Major League Baseball has responsibilities to our fans and society at large that go beyond the playing field,” said Baseball Commissioner, Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “Our Clubs have made a commitment to sustainability and are leaders in their communities raising awareness and educating fans not just on Earth Day, but everyday about environmental stewardship.”

MLB Clubs have worked with the NRDC during the past few years to develop recycling programs, reduce their energy use, purchase renewable energy and educate fans about what they can do to reduce their impact on the planet.

On the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, MLB Clubs will continue to use their visibility to encourage fans to become more eco-conscious through a variety of eco-themed activities. Select READ MORE to see highlights by each of the 30 clubs:

On the night of April 1, buildings around the US were lit up blue as part of Autism Speaks’ “Light It Up Blue” campaign. Whether it was the Empire State Building, the New Meadowlands, Stadium, Citi Field, or the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia, there were monuments everywhere aiding in the effort (see a  video slide show here http://www.lightitupblue.org/).

The Boston Red Sox also got involved, and have deep ties to Autism Speaks. We were proud to have Larry Cancro the Senior Vice President of Fenway Affairs for the Boston Red Sox join our Business of Sports Network Autism Awareness Campaign (see the complete listing here). Cancro  is also the Chairman of Autism Speaks, New England as well as a board member Melmark, New England a school that specializes in autism and similar cognitive disabilities.

As a salute to the end of Autism Awareness Day (but remember, just the second day of International Autism Awareness Month) we present this image of Fenway Park bathed in blue as part of the “Light It Up Blue” campaign

Image Courtesy Boston Red Sox

Click to donate to Autism Speaks

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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