According to Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch):
Senators to make major announcement at 6 p.m. My guess is Don Brennan gets his wish for a scoreboard. I’m told priced at $4-to-$5 million.
Nails!
Now that SBP’s antiquated scoreboard is on the way out of town, fans will have to look elsewhere for something to criticize. For anyone who’s been following the new scoreboard timeline, this is the first real news that we’ll be able to get since AJP released a public statement in July.
“The Ottawa Senators have become the first NHL team to engage AJP’s services as they move forward with multiple technology upgrades in ScotiaBank Place for the 2011 season. AJP will be designing LED displays for the arena bowl including a new center hung video display, as well as audio and distributed television systems”
Oddly enough, this statement was promptly the Anthony James Partners website and the Senators organization never responded publicly. Since that release was published and its conceptual photos were removed, the Ottawa Senators portion of their website has looked like this:
I’ll publish more information as it comes, so stay tuned on that. In the meantime, here’s a timeline of events that Scott had written in an article earlier this season:
Credit Sens Town for the scoop right here *hat tip*. Further digging reveals a press release dated November 10th, 2010 proclaiming:
“The Ottawa Senators have become the first NHL team to engage AJP’s services as they move forward with multiple technology upgrades in ScotiaBank Place for the 2011 season. AJP will be designing LED displays for the arena bowl including a new center hung video display, as well as audio and distributed television systems”
January 20, 2010
In a post titled “Sens Hedging on New Scoreboard“, Mendes gets both Melnyk and Leeder on the record:
Melnyk “It’s a big investment, but it would add a lot of excitement. It is something we’d like to do, there’s no question about it,”
Fair enough. And to further explain Cyril offered this 3-point rationale:
“1. Cost – This is one of the most expensive endeavors for an arena. The cost for a new scoreboard like the one at the Bell Centre is in the neighborhood of $7 million.
2. Technology – Some (not all) teams are upgrading to HD technology, but it may be superseded in the next two years by a new format.
3. Fan Demand – “When they are given alternatives, they would rather see money applied in other areas”
Can’t quibble with his first point, and his third point is hard to argue absent the numbers. His second point however is pretty suspect, at the time of Ian’s article I’d wager 26 of 30 teams had HD scoreboards. As for the illusions to a “new format” your guess is as good as mine. Ultra-High Defintion is still in it’s infancy at least 7-10 years off, and 3D remains a novelty
September 15, 2010
The Senators are awarded the 2012 All Star Game. No sooner had that announcement been made were fans surmising that surely the NHL had made a new scoreboard at SBP a condition of hosting this marquee event. Unfortunately Garrioch was swift to crush that air tight logic…
October 8, 2010
But wait, in an appearance on the team1200 weeks later the Euge’ seemed to contradict himself…weird right?
A change of heart? Arm-twisting from the NHL? Euge’ being Euge’? It didn’t matter, we was getting a new TEEVEEZ.
March 2, 2011
Fast forward a few months and the Senators are holding a season ticket conference call. The 6th Sens was present on the line to dutifully sum up the goings on…
“A fan named Noel calls in to complain about the state of the current scoreboard and wants to know when a new one will be in place. Cyril indicates that the team is still looking at concepts and that a new board will be in place within 2 years.”
This walking back to a 2 year timeline is where the organizaiton has stood ever since, many media appearances and “fan hot stoves” have come and gone with no new updates. You’d think from the Sens perspective if a new scoreboard were being installed it’d make sense to have that news public when the push is on to renew and sell new season tickets.
So what to make of these sexy renderings? I”m certainly more confident of a new scoreboard at SBP this fall than I was yesterday. But I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s fait accompli, the record above alone is reason to be sceptical. That being said this news will force the Senators to comment on the matter, I suspect we won’t be waiting long.
UPDATE:
The Ottawa Sun followed up with team spokesman Brian Morris Friday night. More or less it’s a non-denial denial. Make of it what you will:
“On the design they have, I can’t confirm or deny what that is, or where it is in any process, but I can tell you, essentially, we have been working with them,” added Morris.”
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