NU regents approve $6.25M plan for new stadium screens

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Die-hard Nebraska football fans who fill Memorial Stadium in Lincoln to capacity at every home game will soon be watching replays, ads and tunnel walks on new high-definition screens.

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously approved a $6.25 million plan put forward by Husker Athletics to replace the stadium's 10-year-old screens, the Lincoln Journal Star reported (http://bit.ly/2g6mKhZ ) Friday.

Funds to pay for replacing the screens will come entirely from athletic department revenues, not state tax dollars, NU President Hank Bounds said.

Replacement parts for the current screens are no longer available, and each is at risk of failure, he said.

''Signs of failure have been appearing to fans this season,'' Bounds said. ''We believe our fans deserve and expect a high quality experience in this historic venue.''

The high-definition screens will replace each of the existing screens in the stadium, including a giant, 117-foot by 33-foot screen towering over north end of the stadium, four smaller screens located in the corners of the stadium, and ribbon boards stretching across the east and west stadium decks.

Bounds said the video screens are an important asset to Husker Athletics' marketing partner, IMG College, and are critical to supporting sponsor revenue.

''In fact, the video boards easily pay for themselves as a result of the licensing revenue generated by UNL's agreement with IMG College,'' he said.

The athletic department estimates the new video boards will last 10 years.

---

Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com