M's to install baseball's largest HD video screen at Safeco Field
SEATTLE -- The first pitch of the 2013 baseball season is still several months away, but the Mariners know they'll already lead the league in one category: largest video screen at their stadium.
The team announced Thursday they will be installing a massive new HD video screen on their centerfield scoreboard that will be the largest in baseball and among the largest of any stadium.
The new video screen replaces the scoreboard that was built in 1999, the inaugural season of Safeco Field. Measuring 56.7-feet high by 201.5-feet wide and covering 11,425 square feet, it's over 2,600 square feet larger than baseball's current largest screen at Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium, and is just 95 square feet smaller than the giant video board at Dallas' Cowboys Stadium.
The new video screen fills the same location and space as the old scoreboard, but because the entire thing is a high definition screen, the video space itself is nearly 10 times the size of the current video screen, the Mariners said.
The viewing area will be equal to about 2,182 42-inch flat screen TVs and will be able to present real time game information that they haven't been able to do before now, said Mariners vice president of marketing Kevin Martinez.
Martinez added the board will allow the team to show live action, video replays, and more detailed statistical data.
The team says it'll be ready in time for the season opener on April 8 against new AL West companion Houston.
WOW!
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Let's just enjoy what we have and hope that the Mariners will do better, have some faith people!
By the way, is it bigger than the dallas Cowboy's stadium screen?
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Better luck in 2012 season...
The Mariners always do a great job on their off field stuff. So as long as they are making a profit, the on field stuff is secondary
They actually are making changes to the stadium to make the team better by moving in the fences. That seems laughable but it's common knowledge that our park consistnely yields the fewest home runs. And before someone saysy 'well the other teams hit there too!' remember that we play more games there than anyone else. Our road record and batting is much higher. Even the 2001 team (with the exception of Boone on 'roids) did not hit many home runs.
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This new board will be an awesome way to watch our guys round the bases more for years to come.
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Go M's
Maybe they could play the highlights of the 95 season while we watch the game. At least we'll have something to cheer about.
I guess this is why ticket prices are going up following a last place finish... ?
Maybe after installing that giant screen they can install some winning tradition in the team? WIth attendance so low how many people will really see this screen anyway? They can fight the arena deal and put this screen in but not spend money on players, time for a new ownership group!
Nice! Can it hit!!
I think it's just a distraction so we don't notice how much they stink! But it's cool!
I've been to two Mariners games in my life. I'm obviously not a fan.
If the management seems to feel it's a good thing, then so be it. It's their team and their money.
If you as a fan disagree, vote with yer wallet.
I'm sure the hitters will perform much better with that pointless monstrosity directly in their line of sight. This management never ceases to amaze me. At least the 10k average they'll get a game can watch crisp clear statistics and who's at bat.
Maybe they'll have other AL West games playing so we can at least feel like we're at a real baseball game!
Sweet. Let's put more money into the stadium instead of putting a better product on the field that someone would actually want to watch replays of. Oh wait. That big screen is for the awesome hydro racing games. This management is so inept.
It isn't like the team on the field is worth watching - but now, we can see animated hydroplanes in even larger scale. Or see the instant replay of Figgins striking out -- and it will look like he missed the ball by even more than before.
YEAH!!! I have been waiting for an upgrade to this for so long! The other one was VERY outdated compared to many other big league teams.
 @Ethan Allen Seriously? That's what you care about?
 @sirgavin7  @Ethan Allen Typical baseball fan in Seattle.
WHY? Why this instead of buying some good players and wins?? This is ridiculous!
Maybe they can play movies on it so there's actually something entertaining to watch at a Mariners game! ZING!!
If the TV is on but nobody is there to watch it does it make a sound?
DOH!!! Another bone-headed move by the owners.
Is it made by Nintendo? And will the Mariners owners ever show up to a game?
 @DDG No, it's not made by Nintendo because they said it was HD! Â
 @goalieump  @DDG OH SNAP!
Howard Lincoln and his front office cronies remind me of this neighbor I have who has a faulty automobile (slipping tranmission, oil and exhausts leaks), yet he focuses his time on waxing the car, putting tire shine on the all the wheels, and detailing the beejeezus out of the interior.
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Needless to say, Â I don't want to ride in my neighbor's car, and I sure as heck don't want to attend a game at Safeco Field as long as the current ownership remains in place.
Hey, great idea, now we can watch our team stink in HD and bigger than ever. OR you might try putting all that money into, gosh I don't know a better record. How about a playoff appearance.
They need to put that on "How its Made".
How much does it cost and who's paying for it? Maybe a beer will cost $15 to help pay for it as opposed to the outrageous $9 it is now.
How about investing some of that money in a team that can win a game?
 @Nick drink before you go in?
 @Nick If you can afford a ticket you can afford a beer so shut up.Â
 @PackersCougsBravesSounders Did my post say anything about me paying for a Mariner ticket? I was given a ticket to the only game I've been to in 3 years, drove to Alderwood Mall and put the ticket underneath my windshield wiper. When I came back out, there were 3 more tickets next to it. lol
The screen is probably going to be very cool and a nice addition, but how about they install a team that can win some games, aren't out of the race by June 30th, or heaven forbid actually make the playoffs.
Jokes aside about how much they suck; since they are owned by Nintendo, for next year's Mariners promo commercial I'd like to see one of the players hijack the giant screen to play Nintendo games.
 @Hambingo I was thinking the same thing. I wanted to bring my PS3 and have more fun playing that than watching the game.
Now all they need is to field a team worth watching on the giant super duper HD LED board
great...now we can watch them not score, get their butt's kicked, and put out triple a talent on a screen bigger than anyone else's..! Woo-hoo!
...and if no one's there to watch it?
Will it help them win more games?Â