Outdoor scoreboards are a necessity to any serious sports program from youth leagues all the way up to the professional tier of play. While sports scoreboards of the past have either been manually operated or simple light bulb fixtures, many of the new electronic scoreboards are of a new breed of technology and while they have proven easier to use and more efficient at displaying information, greater care is needed to maintain these digital displays.

In the past, especially in baseball, many can remember when a scorekeeper was present at the scoreboard itself to walk down the line and change the run count, hits, errors, etc. the top and bottom of every inning. The scorekeeper of these old outdoor scoreboards also maintained the board itself, keeping it clean and visible for all who looked upon it to be impressed and for the sake of keeping the facility in good condition. Now that scorekeepers have largely been shipped into the press booth and the updates to electronic scoreboards are done through remote control from hundreds of feet away, a concern is raised on whether the boards will hold up if they aren’t properly maintained. This is especially a concern in new stadiums where the utilization of all new scoreboard technology is done through remote control tools, such as the MacGregor Handheld Wireless Scoreboard remote control; devices like this give the scorekeeper the ability to access and change virtually every detail the board itself can display from a distance.

Maintenance is a largely overlooked part of sports scoreboard care and it is a tremendously important part of keeping the equipment in working condition and extending the lifespan of the device. Depending on the scoreboard itself, the type of maintenance required will vary. Old, traditional outdoor scoreboards using panels can be cleaned just like one would clean anything in the home: simple cleaning product and a rag. Using a cleaner with protection agents for luster and shine may also be of interest to keep the sun from fading information that is painted or from a decal plastered onto a panel.

With sports scoreboards using light bulbs, it is important to note the board should be turned off to prevent the danger of electrical shock as well as making sure the bulbs are cool to the touch. It is never a good idea to apply a cool solution to a hot surface. Other than that, simple rag and cleaning agents are acceptable for bulb and most LED light displays.

With the newer electronic scoreboards that are fully digital video panels, a better cleaning agent such as the ones manufactured for high-end television sets as well as industrial cleaners without agitating agents are more appropriate. Certain chemicals can burn and degrade digital displays, making the ingredients of the product important to scrutinize before use. Microfiber cloths and non-static cleaning rags are also a necessity for routine maintenance and cleaning of the displays, keeping them in top shape for a long time to come.

With proper maintenance, even outdoor scoreboards exposed to harsh environments can last a long time and make sure the investor gets their money’s worth.