The iconic but aging scoreboards at Pekin Community High School's Memorial Stadium and Dawson Hawkins Gym are now a thing of the past.
They were replaced this summer with state-of-the-art LED digital display scoreboards that will keep fans informed and entertained during games and meets. They have a multitude of uses, including showing movies, live-streaming of graduation, real-time track and field meet results, and displaying work created by Dragon Media digital media program students.
There's plenty of excitement on the PCHS campus and in the community about the 21st-century technology that will power PCHS' new scoreboards.
"What wonderful additions to the high school's basketball and football venues," said Neil Stimpert, president of the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament committee.
"Now that there's a video scoreboard that makes Hawkins Gym seem even more like a college arena, we can offer even more exposure for our sponsors," he said. "Sponsorships are the No. 1 source of revenue for our non-for-profit organization, outpacing ticket sales."
The tournament bracket with results and upcoming games will be displayed on the new scoreboard, Stimpert said, replacing the drop-down temporary bracket boards on the gym walls.
"We may keep one of those boards for nostalgia sake," Stimpert said.
Jamie Cates, president of the PCHS Athletic Booster Club, said she's heard concerns in the community about PCHS getting rid of the historic former scoreboards, "but it's really time for us to move along."
PCHS coaches gave the scoreboards their seal of approval.
"As if our sports facilities weren't nice enough already?" said girls basketball coach Brett McGinnis. "The new scoreboard in Hawkins Gym is going to make it that much more special of a place to play. I'm excited to see what Dragon Media comes up with for graphics and entertainment during our games."
Boys basketball coach Jeremy Crouch called the new Hawkins Gym scoreboard "incredible" and said "our sports facilities are now truly second to none among high schools in the area."
Football coach Doug Nutter called the new Memorial Stadium scoreboard – which has a 16-by-28-foot video display board – a great addition to the facility.
"I can't wait to see it on game days," said Nutter, who also is an assistant boys track and field coach. "It also will be nice to have results posted live during a track meet."
The former Memorial Stadium scoreboard was installed in 1995.
PCHS Superintendent Danielle Owens said the neon Dragon that was on the board was saved and will be placed somewhere on the PCHS campus, with LED lighting instead of neon.
"The Memorial Stadium scoreboard did its job for 30 years, but it was showing its age. It was shutting off and the buzzer was going off during games," Owens said.
The former Hawkins Gym scoreboard, installed in 2001, was four-sided and was from the ceiling. That will be the case with the new scoreboard, which has a 6½-by-10-foot video display board.
Bids to purchase the old Hawkins Gym scoreboard were sought by the high school in April, but there were no takers, so the scoreboard is being stored at the high school.
"The new Hawkins Gym scoreboard is the capstone, the last piece in the renovation of the gym," Owens said, referencing a project that has included the installation of new bleachers, and renovations of the school's weight room and fitness area.
The approximate $500,000 cost of the new scoreboards and installation is being split between the high school, booster club, Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament and Pepsi. The high school is paying for the installation.
The booster club has committed $150,000 to the scoreboard project over five years, and the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament committee has committed $25,000 over five years.
During the monthly PCHS School Board meeting in May, donations of $60,000 from the booster club and $10,000 from the tournament committee for the scoreboard project were reported to the board.
Booster club members are selling sponsorships for the new scoreboards, and "naming rights" are being offered for the Hawkins Gym scoreboard and scorer's table in the gym.
Those interested in talking about naming rights should contact Owens at dnowens@pekinhigh.net.
