Sooner fans can't miss action now

Oklahoma football is bigger and brighter today.

Students said the new SoonerVision scoreboard in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium should raise enthusiasm for a team who has struggled for wins lately.

Steve Neumann, director of OU Athletic Broadcasts, said the new scoreboard and video screen was designed with students in mind.

"It adds a whole new dimension without taking away from the band or other dimensions," said Neumann. "The younger generation and student population will really enjoy it. We will have music that appeals to the student population."

The past scoreboard board past showed simply the score and the time. The new scoreboard shows the score, the time, rushing, passing and total yards for each team. The board is run by a 26-member team.

"Since it can show replay, and show people in the crowd, it might get more people into the game," said Jill Johnson, English education senior.

Four camera angles and slow motion technology will allow the SoonerVision to show instant replay on the big screen. Controversial plays will be treated differently on the screen.

"I'll decide if it's controversial," Neumann said. "If it is, we'll show it. But it won't be slow motion, and we'll only show one angle."

The screen will also show replays, features, great Sooner moments, highlights of the last game and a full 3-D animated intro.

OU administrators negotiated to get the top-of-the-line 3-D animations for free with the scoreboard.

"When it's all said and done, we will have 300 football and basketball animations," Neumann said, "We only have about 20 right now. We probably won't have them all this year, but we really don't use them that much in a game. We don't want to overdo it."

Once they get the satellite feeds working, the SoonerVision team plans to play clips from other games being played across the country, he said. The feeds could be in place for the Sooner's second home game against the University of Louisville on Aug. 27.

Although there are sponsorship signs on the scoreboard, Neumann said that there will be no commercials on the screen.

"President Boren and Steve Owens decided it would be only for entertainment," Neumann said. "All replays will be sponsored by one of the five corporate sponsors, and will have their emblem in the corner."

The corporate sponsors are OG&E, Conoco, Southwestern Bell, Colombia and Coca-Cola.

The big screen is the largest collegiate screen in the country, and the scoreboard is the largest in the country. Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is the eighth Big 12 stadium to add a screen, and it surpasses Nebraska's capabilities by 30 percent, he said.

Oklahoma State University installed a big screen last season, but is being leased from Sony.

The athletic department bought two cameras and are leasing two more.

"Eventually we will buy the other two," Neumann said. "We can use them for coaches shows and interviews during the week."

The cameras will also be used for the basketball screens and highlight tapes, he said.
hello there & you too

Adam Wilmoth

Adam is a former staff member of The Oklahoma Daily who worked as