The University of Dayton Arena has been a busy place as renovations to the scoreboards got underway about three weeks ago to help upgrade the 30-year old building to 2000 standards. UDPride took advantage of an invitation to check the progress of the work at hand, and we’re happy to publish the first photos of the outstanding new editions to the ‘House that Mick built.” Also underway are upgrades to the Arena sound system and a complete refinishing of the hardwood playing surface after several years of sneaker abuse.

The scoreboard system actually consists of seven completely new boards that replace the old two-board setup used at the UD Arena for more than 20 years. Gone are the old “Ponderosa” boards bolted from each end zone and in their place are two new scoreboards that are much smaller and thinner. The new end zone boards will keep the game time, score, and contain a scrolling ticker box reminiscent of the old scoreboard area used for announcements. I’m also told that the boards will be tied into a SportsTicker dataline to run scores and updates from other basketball games around the country.

High above center court is a new addition — a scoreboard cube and sound system all in the same unit. The center cube is the largest but most visually basic addition to the new setup. Little information will come from these electronics other than game time, score, period, possession, time-outs, and fouls. In light of the recent mega-partnership with University of Dayton athletics, it’s only natural that National City advertisements are prominently displayed on all four sides. The main sound system housing skirts along the bottom of each side of the center cube, but a dozen or more auxiliary woofers, tweeters, and other audio components sit perched in the Arena girders to fill the facility with a potent tune. Sound system testing was taking place on our visit and the audio setup sounded crisp and clean.

Perhaps the nicest addition to the UD Arena are the four “stat boards” that hang from steel-enforced supports above the 200 level at each corner of the concourse. The boards are among the most-easily seen in the Arena and are capable of multicolor display — some of which were being tested as well. The stat boards can and will be used for a number of tasks, but as the name implies, a primary one will be to run a cumulative table of game and player statistics so fans no longer have to make circles in their game programs. For those occasions when any creative graphics might be displayed, they will also come from these boards. The four hanging contraptions are actually broken into two sides. One houses the actual matrix display area and the other contains an advertisement area for ‘mini-blind’ ads similar to those found at outdoor venues.

A final renovation underway is a complete refinishing of the hardwood playing surface after years of abuse. As of this writing, the floor has been resanded and is awaiting a new paint job and couple coats of lacquer. Prior to the resanding, the old surface contained nearly 10 coats of lacquer and began losing its sparkle. The new surface will be a bit lighter on the eyes and brightens up the Arena beautifully. Report are that the new paint scheme will contain the words “BLACKBURN COURT” on the baseline, replacing “UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON ARENA.” A “UD” logo will remain at center court, and “DAYTON FLYERS” will still run the sidelines, but they will be moved to opposite corners so National City advertisements can run the baseline in front of the Dayton bench and on the right side in front of press row.

Fans wishing for a JumboTron scoreboard will have to keep waiting. UD officials reported that major structural improvements to the UD Arena were needed to accommodate the current additions as it was. A JumboTron would have necessitated further structural upgrades at a significant cost — let alone the cost of a full video-capable display.

The scoreboard and sound system upgrades will make a strong first impression on Flyer fans this year and are first class all the way. While everything has yet to be set in motion in a Flyer game, it’s a sure bet that fans will be treated to more fun and excitement in the coming years as a result of these additions. They will serve as a terrific conduit for fan participation and enjoyment and are the exact techno-goodies the Flyer Faithful have been craving for years. The university responded in a big way.