Screens keep getting bigger and bigger these days, and PNC Park is joining the trend.
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Wednesday that installation has begun for a new left-field scoreboard. The massive, high-definition LED screen will be more than twice the area of the previous outfield screen.
The new screen will be brighter and yield more vibrant colors than the previous screen, but it doesn’t extend past the structure that held the old screen, officials said. So, it shouldn’t obstruct views of the Pittsburgh skyline.
The scoreboard will be expanded in width to 142 feet. It will be ready for the Pirates’ April 7 home opener against the Chicago White Sox.
The best ballpark in baseball is getting even better!
We announced new improvement projects that are underway at PNC Park, including a new LED scoreboard. pic.twitter.com/LzLn8pbVUS
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 22, 2023
Other improvements include new fascia ribbon boards throughout the park, which display in-game stats and messaging, as well as new home plate, field level and dugout LED displays. The North Shore stadium’s speaker system is also being replaced.
“We know from our many interactions with fans that the way in which they consume the game action is ever changing. The new scoreboard, fascia displays and sound system will allow our fans to be even more immersed in the action on and off the field,” Pirates president Travis Williams said in a statement.
“It is important that we continue to build upon and enhance everything that makes PNC Park a unique and special place.”
The new scoreboard and signage at PNC is being financed partially through a $1 ticket surcharge, which was approved by the Sports & Exhibition Authority last year. The Pirates have covered the upfront costs of the screen replacement and will be reimbursed from the revenue generated by the ticket surcharge. If there are surcharge funds left over, those will go into the SEA’s capital reserve fund.
PNC Park’s main screen last was replaced in 2006 for the MLB All-Star Game.
Warrendale-based Mitsubishi Electric’s Diamond Vision Systems is overseeing the installation of the 3,000-pound scoreboard and other displays throughout PNC Park. A new electrical automation system also is being installed to enhance the effectiveness of the sports lighting.
