How big will the new video screens at EverBank Field be? Big enough to accommodate the continuous broadcast of the RedZone Channel — throughout the game.
Jaguars president Mark Lamping tells Don Muret of SportsBusiness Journal that a portion of the 16,626 square feet of video-board space could be devoted constantly to showing the most compelling moments of games simultaneously being played at other stadiums.
“We know this would be welcomed by the large portion of our fans who are transplants to Jacksonville, as well as all fantasy football enthusiasts,” Lamping said.
It’s unclear how many fans living in Jacksonville would decide to pay for tickets if they could keep real-time tabs on another team, or how many fantasy-football fans would prefer tracking all the action while witnessing one the various games. Still, the approach can only help the broader cause of selling seats. And EverBank Field would be the first stadium to offer non-stop RedZone coverage.
The video boards, to be installed at each end of the stadium starting in 2014, also may have competing displays.
“Because the boards are so big we don’t need mirror images at each end because they are in view of most fans,” Lamping said. “Some content will remain the same such as time of game, down and distance and replays.”
The approach would give most fans a four-pronged radar screen during games — the field, the two video screens, and their handheld devices. As the NFL tries to find more and more ways to make the in-stadium experience as good or better than staying home, this goes a long way toward achieving the “as good” objective.
Of course, the best way to fill a stadium is to have a consistently winning team. Which would mean that several games per year would be played at night, when no other games are happening.