New video scoreboards at Michigan Stadium coming by fall 2023

Michigan Stadium will have two new video scoreboards by the fall of 2023.

University Regents on Thursday approved a request by Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel to replace the current video scoreboards, which will cost an estimated $12 million as part of multi-level project. The boards are at the north and south ends of the stadium.

The entire project will cost an estimated $41 million and includes replacing the audio system in the entire stadium, production room upgrades in Crisler Center, infrastructure and design fees, and safety additions. It will be funded by athletic department gifts. 

“We plan to fully fund this upfront with athletic department gifts that are restricted for capital purposes," Rob Rademacher, Michigan senior associate athletic director and Chief Operating Officer, told the Regents in his presentation. “We will not be touching our operating budget with this, and it’s all gift funds. We don’t anticipate any additional operating expenses with this project or additional personnel needed to run the new technology.”

The new scoreboards will be the same height as the current boards, but will be wider.

Manuel, in an “action request” letter submitted to the Regents and made public Monday as part of the meeting agenda, said the video scoreboards which were installed in 2011, have obsolete technology.

“(The project) focuses on aging technology that’s become incredibly difficult to maintain, source replacement parts,” Rademacher said. “And we have production equipment we no longer support the video quality required today."

In his breakdown of the $41 million project, Rademacher indicated another $12 million chunk will pay for infrastructure, site work and design fees. The SmithGroup Inc. architectural firm will design the project. The Michigan Stadium audio system also will be replaced for $5 million, there will be an upgrade to the catwalk access to service the video boards, which will cost $4 million.

There are three production studios within Crisler Center and require upgrades that Rademacher said will cost an estimated $8 million.

Here’s the breakdown of the $41 million approved:

► Michigan Stadium North and South video board replacement: $12 million

► Infrastructure, site work, design fees: $12 million

► Production room upgrades (in Crisler Center): $8 million

► Audio system replacement at Michigan Stadium: $5 million

► Permanent safety additions for access (to video boards): $4 million

achengelis@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @chengelis