T-minus 30 days until Kinnick lights up

In a little less than a month, the face of Kinnick Stadium will change when the UI unveils new videoboards and a ribbon scoreboard in the north end zone.

Also as part of the $9 million upgrade, the entire south end zone scoreboard was converted into a videoboard. The cost will be funded with UI Athletics Department gifts and earnings, and no tax dollars or tuition dollars will be used.

The Hawkeyes' home opener is Aug. 31 against Northern Illinois.

The look of the north end zone will change dramatically. Until the new scoreboard system went up, a few thrifty fans watched games from the parking ramp just outside of the stadium. These new boards will only offer an obstructed view.

Here's everything the project includes: a large screen video display system within the existing south end zone structure, video displays in the northeast and northwest end zone corners and a ribbon display to be installed above the seating along the north side of Kinnick Stadium. That ribbon display will show game information, video, scores and advertising. In addition to those four video displays, the purchase includes two game clocks and four delay-of-game clocks.

The existing video walls, control room equipment and sound system at Kinnick are eight years old, officials said. Technology in that time has made great strides, and most of the UI's competitors now have high definition video boards in their stadiums, UI athletics director Gary Barta said.

"Think about the television sets in your own home, the amount of technology change just since 2005," Barta said. "Well, that's what's happened with our video boards. When we put them in in 2005 they were state-of-the-art. Since then, HD has come along."

Also making progress is the second phase of Iowa's new $55 million football center.

This 72,000-square foot addition includes football offices, a 21,000-square foot strength and conditioning center, a 2,100-square foot players lounge with computer stations, a 4,500-square foot locker room, a 185-seat meeting room and locker rooms. There also will be a public viewing area along with video displays and an interactive kiosk for fans on gameday.

The department has raised nearly $30 million privately toward the project, which should be completed by fall 2014. The indoor practice facility, which was finished last summer, will have a new brick facade.

The South End Zone video board:

• Overall Dimensions

31'6.4? Tall x 122'8.8? Wide

• 15mm HD Video Display

624 lines of resolution x

2448 columns of resolution

• Optional 13mm HD Video Display

728 lines of resolution x

2856 columns of resolution

The Ribbon-style scoreboard info:

• Ribbon Dimensions

8'8.8? Tall x 236'4.8? Wide

• 13HD Video Display

196 lines of resolution x

10,062 columns of resolution

• Side Video Dimensions

21'11.2? Tall x 38'8.8? Wide

• 13HD Video Display @2

504 lines of resolution x

896 columns of resolution

• Vomitory Display Dimensions

3'7? Tall x 13'2? Wide

• 13HD Display @2

84 lines of resolution x

308 columns of resolution

• Delay of Game Clock @2

TI-2003