YISD installing new video scoreboards at all of its high schools
With the high school football season just around the corner, the Ysleta School District will be enhancing the fan experience with new video scoreboards at all 7 of its high schools.
The scoreboards are still being installed and the boards should be ready for the start of the high school football season.
Eastwood head football coach, Julio Lopez, says the new boards will add to the Friday night lights experience and that everyone will benefit, not just football players.
“It’s fun for visiting teams, it’s fun for our home teams and our home fans,” Lopez said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to showcase all the different kids and groups that participate on a Friday night.”
YISD paid nearly 4 million dollars for all 7 boards.
The money did not come from the 430 million dollar bond that was passed in 2015, but from bond savings.
Pat O’Neill, YISD Associate Superintendent of Operations, says the district hasn’t had any problems with funding projects approved by the bond.
Most of the projects are within budget and there was extra money available.
“Because of good management and planning, we’re able to have savings and we reinvested it in the schools,” O’Neill said. “We’re very excited about enhancing the experience that people when they come to our stadiums will have.”
The boards will also be operated by students.
Students will be responsible for putting together profiles on players and other videos to get fans excited.
Bel Air head football coach Tony Cervantes tells ABC-7 that coaches are also getting training on how to use the new boards.
“As we progress through this thing we’ll be able to use it to its full capacity,” Cervantes said. “I think we’re going to get our money’s worth out of the video board.”
YISD is also seeing an opportunity to bring in revenue.
It plans to sell ad space on all 7 of its boards and the district is at an advantage.
“You buy an ad, it will be at all 7,” O’Neill said. “It just won’t be on the eastside or down in the valley or out in northeast, your advertisement, your brand will get out everywhere.”
