LAKE CHARLES – Fans attending McNeese home football games this fall should be pleasantly surprised to see some differences in Cowboy Stadium that will help boost the game day atmosphere.
 
Currently ongoing, A new video screen on the scoreboard is being erected and will be in place by August 28.
 
The state-of-the-art board will include full LED lighting, a 15mm, high-definition video display that will feature in-game replays, sponsorship commercials, and fan interaction segments. The 15mm technology is the same type used with video boards for the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Baylor Bears, just to name a few.
 
There will be more than two-and-a-half times the amount of physical pixels that means there will be a much higher resolution on the new display.
 
The old unit, which was installed in 2005, was a 23mm setup and was neither a LED nor HD component.
 
The new display will be a tad bit larger than the old one, measuring 15-feet, 6-inches by 20-feet, 5-inches.
 
The cost of the new screen and installation will be just over $200,000 and is a product of Daktronics.
 
Fans should also notice better lighting in the stadium. All the lamps will be replaced with 1,500-watt GE lamps in addition to new QSP-700 lenses for each lamp. This will greatly enhance the lighting at Cowboy Stadium. This project will be complete by Sept. 4.
 
Also, on both the east and west sides of the stadium, new stadium pillar graphics featuring 20 of the greatest football players in school history, will be displayed. Those are currently in production and will be in place for the Sept. 12 home opener versus Incarnate Word.