Since the early days of sports only one other thing on the field has captured the attention of the fans almost as much as the game itself. That one other thing is the scoreboard. A football game scoreboard has been letting fans know for years what is really going on in the game. When it comes down to it there is only one thing that matters at the end of a game, and that’s what’s showing on the scoreboard. Everyone is familiar with the football field scoreboard and has even come to have a sense of nostalgia rise up every time they see one whether they were a star athlete or a dedicated fan. The early football field scoreboard and baseball scoreboards were simple in design and were fairly inexpensive to build. They were built of a wood frame and contained a series of hooks from which numerical cards were hung in order to display the basic numbers of the game (time, score, and down or inning depending on the sport). Originally, a scorekeeper would sit by the scoreboard and change the score by switching the numerically marked cards off the hooks through a porthole. Other scoreboards in earlier days were built higher up and the scorekeeper would use a ladder to climb up the football game scoreboard and switch them that way. Either way, until the introduction of LED technology everything was done manually. The advancement in light technology revolutionized the scoreboard and the effect it had on a sporting event. With the use of light emitting diodes (LED’s), scoreboards left the Stone Age and entered the era of the electronic football scoreboard. When it comes to sports entertainment it is essential that organizations keep up with the times. The electronic football scoreboard is one of those things that an organization cannot afford to fall behind on.
With the advancement in electronic football scoreboard technology, games were changed for fans in a way that brought more attention to the scoreboard. At the beginning, LED bulbs were placed in a series of rows that an electrical pulse or current was sent through in order to light up certain bulbs or have other effects such as flashing. LED’s in the beginning were limited in color. Advancement in technology has led to a range of LED’s that cover the spectrum of light. The first electronic football field scoreboard made life for the scorekeeper much easier. Instead of having to poke his head through a porthole or having to climb a ladder, the scorekeeper was able to operate the football game scoreboard by controls. To install an electronic football scoreboard, a trench had to be dug leading from the scoreboard to the scorekeepers box so that a cable connecting the controls of the scorekeeper to the scoreboard could be buried. Not too long after, the introduction of the wireless football scoreboard was made. In addition, other effects were implemented on the scoreboard that was pleasing and attracting to the crowd. With the introduction of lights and wireless controls, a broad new horizon for the wireless football scoreboard had opened up. New uses came about for the wireless football scoreboard such as advertisements. In professional leagues and a few others, a monitor or video screen was installed to show game highlights, replays, and other game essential moments. Electro-Mech is a company that has made a specialty out of keeping up with the scoreboard technology. With more fans staring at the new football field scoreboard, it is important that everyone stays in tune with the technology of the day. By not keeping up, organizations will fail to take advantage of the opportunities that the wireless football scoreboard provides.