The Colorado Rockies will celebrate their 25th Anniversary Season in 2018, having celebrated their inaugural season in Major League Baseball as an expansion team in 1993. Preparations for the 2018 season will begin in the offseason with several Coors Field improvement projects, voted on and approved today by the Denver Metropolitan Major League Baseball Stadium District and funded by the Rockies pursuant to the new 30-year lease agreement. Highlighting the offseason ballpark improvements is a new left-center field scoreboard.
In partnership with Daktronics, the industry leader in large-format LED video displays and more, the Rockies will unveil a scoreboard that will measure 8,369 square feet, 258% larger than the current Coors Field scoreboard. Equivalent in display size to 784 60-inch televisions, the scoreboard will feature a total of 6.8 million LEDs. In addition to being more than two times larger than the current scoreboard, it will feature a uniquely Colorado Rockies shape: the top of the scoreboard will have the mountain cutout, reminiscent of the Club's mountain logo.
"We are always looking for ways to ensure the fan experience at Coors Field continues to be one of the best in all of sports," said Rockies Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer Greg Feasel. "Among the other facility improvements this offseason, we feel the new scoreboard is a critical enhancement for our 25th Anniversary Season. Daktronics has been a great partner in the design and advanced technology, and we're excited to present it to Rockies fans on Opening Day, 2018."
"We're excited to continue our long-standing relationship with the Colorado Rockies and Coors Field with these display upgrades," said Daktronics President and CEO Reece Kurtenbach. "There's a large amount of engineering involved to create these large video systems, including the support structure to withstand the outdoor elements. Our team is always ready for these types of challenges as we continue to enhance the fan experience for our customers."
Related to the new scoreboard, the Rockies will be updating the technology in the control room to HD1080P; the control room operates the scoreboards, sound and in-game entertainment throughout the ballpark. Also, the next phase of ballpark speaker enhancements will be completed during the offseason, focusing on the lower bowl of the ballpark. In addition to the scoreboard and related components, other improvements to Coors Field will include continued renovation of the Club Level, including concession and bar spaces on the first and third-base sides, as well as a partial renovation of the home clubhouse. As with every offseason, several behind-the-scenes but vital infrastructure projects will be done as well, which along with the enhancements in the fan and player-facing areas continue to solidify Coors Field's reputation as a championship-caliber sports venue.
Due to the various offseason improvements, the Rockies will celebrate their 25th Anniversary Season with several offsite fan events. The festivities will begin in January with a 2018 Rockies Caravan featuring visits throughout the Rocky Mountain Region and a Season Ticket Holder Hot Stove event at Coors Field, all featuring Rockies players and coaches before they head to Scottsdale, Ariz., for Spring Training. From the 25th Anniversary Season Opening Day at Coors Field on Friday, April 6, 2018, through the season, there will be special anniversary game dates, events and promotions to celebrate the franchise's history (more details to come).