Toledo Mud Hens To Reveal New Daktronics Displays for 2009 Season

The Toledo
Mud Hens will showcase a new integrated video, scoring, and advertising display
system at Fifth Third Field this spring. The Mud Hens, a minor-league affiliate
of the Detroit Tigers, have teamed with Daktronics to provide stadium upgrades
prior to opening day of the 2009 minor-league baseball season.

“The new
boards will enhance the overall entertainment that our fans have come to
expect,” says Mike Ramirez, video board and TV production manager. “We are excited
to see what new ideas we can bring to the table with this new technology. We
expect our fans will be very happy with what we will now be able to provide.”

Located
over the left-field fence, fans can view all the action of Mud Hens baseball on
a state-of-the-art 33-ft.-wide by 32-ft.-high LED video display. The video
board can operate as a single giant display or be divided into multiple zones
(windows) to show a wide variety of statistics, information, graphics,
animations, and live and recorded video.

Daktronics
also provided roughly 90 feet of digital ribbon display mounted to the fascia
along the left- and right-field lines. These displays provide fans with in-game
information, out-of-town scores, promotional messages, and crowd prompts that
create an interactive experience, immersing fans into the game. Sponsors will
also have creative opportunities to get their messages across through motion
graphics and other eye-catching content.

The new
displays, along with an existing 40-ft.-wide by 20-ft.-high Daktronics video
display located in right field, will surround the playing field and provide a
game-day atmosphere second to none.

“We are
very excited about the new video screen and LED ribbon board addition to Fifth
Third Field,” says Will Ellerbruch, Daktronics regional sales manager. “We have
thoroughly enjoyed working with the Mud Hens since the open of the stadium. The
new system will provide them with unprecedented flexibility to entertain and
inform their fans all while activating sponsorships.”

Daktronics
is also turning on major systems and system upgrades this season for the New
York Mets, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals,
and Pittsburgh Pirates. This season’s minor-league projects include systems for
the Bowling Green Hot Rods, Columbus Clippers, Gwinnett Braves, Long Beach
Armada, Reno Aces, Tacoma Rainiers, Toledo Mud Hens, and Wisconsin Timber
Rattlers.