Miller Park Getting HD Scoreboard

[crnolen]

Even though we don't get to see a Brewers World Series this year, we can revel in the fact that we can see Jeff Suppan in HD next year

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/10/08/brewers-miller-park-getting-hd-scoreboard-for-2010-opening-day/

[hormy_83]

Not next year, but in 2 years. That will be interesting to see the improvement!

[crnolen]

Oh crap, guess I didn't see that, I was too excited to see the headline

[Iwant2playNOW]

I am all for technology and HD, however using tax payers money for this is unacceptable.

Keep in mind that this project is being funded by the Stadium District which is simply a cute name for the 5 county stadium tax that continues to be in effect. I would take this one step further and argue that if their is such a huge surplus of money (the fund is currently listed at over $10 million), then why are we still paying the tax? It was supposed to be enlisted for up to 5 years...isn't Miller Park older than 5 years now??

Putting in a new scoreboard will NOT increase attendance, and to think that a company will pay more for advertising at Miller Park simply cause they can now have their product/service pedalled in HD is stupid!

A HD scoreboard would be cool, no doubt, but it offers next to nothing on the investment...bad choice!

[brewtownska]

They are adding new sound equipment as well. I know the sound upgrade from County Stadium to Miller Park was HUGE, but I can't see any reason they'd need newer/better sound in Miller Park after just a few years. Sure, video technology has come a long way in the past 8 years, but sound technology hasn't changed much in that time.

[VoltronMaximus]

The park does need a new scoreboard. When I was last there about a month ago, I noticed a vertical blue line that went right down the middle of batters picture on the SB. Do they need an HD.....no. But they should at least get the one they got now fixed.

[hormy_83]

The park does need a new scoreboard. When I was last there about a month ago, I noticed a vertical blue line that went right down the middle of batters picture on the SB. Do they need an HD.....no. But they should at least get the one they got now fixed.

Yeah I noticed that too but they had fixed that before the season ended this season.

[brewtownska]

We might all be interpreting the press release differently, but I think they're changing out the 1-color scoreboard that shows the score and the batting order. The full-color screen above that will probably stay, unless they're replacing it all. When they first put in the full color screen, it was state-of-the-art. I imagine they went with the 1-color screen below it as it would have been way too expensive at that time to put in something better.

[troyriley]

I would rather see this money go toward re-signing CC Sabathia. I prefer watching him pitch for the Brewers and see his strikeouts replayed in SD on the video board than see Suppan give up a home run ball in HD.

The Miller Park sound system is poor, though not as bad as the Bradley Center.

[Iwant2playNOW]

OK....it has been mentioned in this posting but people still seem to be missing one very important fact/law/rule...whatever you want to call it.

YOU CAN NOT USE PUBLIC MONEY TO SIGN PLAYERS!

The money that would be used for the new scoreboard, to re-pave the parking lot, or to fix a leaky roof comes from the Stadium District Fund which is largely tax payer supported (the 5 county tax...remember this).

[troyriley]

OK....it has been mentioned in this posting but people still seem to be missing one very important fact/law/rule...whatever you want to call it.

YOU CAN NOT USE PUBLIC MONEY TO SIGN PLAYERS!

The money that would be used for the new scoreboard, to re-pave the parking lot, or to fix a leaky roof comes from the Stadium District Fund which is largely tax payer supported (the 5 county tax...remember this).

I forgot my disclaimer: I realize using the taxpayer money toward CC Sabathia is not a legal option. It was more of an attempt to signify the importance of having him back next year. :)

[bschmidt25]

Have any of you ever seen one of these at the "newer" parks? I was at National's Stadium to watch the Brewers over Memorial Day this year and was completely blown away by theirs. The picture was unbelievable - I couldn't stop staring at it. Normally, they had the lineups on either side of it with the box score on the bottom. Occasionally, they would turn off the "on screen display" and it would be all live video and it was just unbelievable how huge and life like it was. I remember all of the hoopla about the color screen at Miller Park when it opened (IIRC it was pretty much top of the line at the time) but you can't even compare the two. Picture the entire black and white scoreboard including the ads on the sides and bottom at Miller Park as an HD display (and I'm pretty sure it was actually larger than that) and you get the idea...

[Iwant2playNOW]

I have read all kinds of articles on the HD scoreboard in Washington DC...it is very impressive, but I think a lot of people here are missing the point...MONEY!!

I have lost almost $10,000 in my investments this year and that is not uncommon, people are losing their homes, all forms of government are virtually broke, etc....how can you justify spending $10 million tax dollars on a big screen TV during tough economic times?

If someone can prove me wrong and provide some hope that this giant HD TV will help the Brewers either on the field or end up increasing their financial position, then I will change my vote on it...so far though, nothing but people with clouded views.

By the way...the Washington Nationals finished dead last in the standings and had the worst record in all of baseball this year....does not appear that HD TV helped them out too much.

[WITI6fan]

I've been hearing for years that they were looking to upgrade the scoreboard, so this isn't something the management just decided to do at the end of the season. It's probably been being discussed and planned for for years.

[Talos4]

This is one government entity that actually seems to be doing what is was intended to do.

The stadium district is not just a tax collection agency.

With the completion of Miller Park’s construction, the District is charged with the oversight and monitoring of construction closeout, and the commissioning, operating and maintaining of Miller Park, including:

Managing the effective and efficient closeout of construction contracts, litigation and outstanding claims
Oversight of project commissioning efforts including finalizing operations and maintenance manuals, warranties, guarantees and record drawings
Monitoring, management and enforcement of leases, subleases and agreements
Monitoring and oversight of Miller Park’s routine maintenance and operations
Protection of the District’s investment in Miller Park
Management of Miller Park’s major capital repairs and improvements, necessary improvements and/or discretionary improvements
Oversight and management of Miller Park’s moveable roof operations, maintenance and major capital repairs and/or improvements
Management of District’s General Fund, Segregated Reserve Fund, investments and earnings
Management of District’s administration, outside service providers and expenditures
Oversight and management of the District’s annual review and assessment of the projected “sunset date” for the five-county 0.1% sales tax
Management of the District’s Project Participation Program (Targeted Business Program) for Ongoing District Activities
Oversight and management of District’s real estate interests
Oversight and management of District’s environmental permits, commitments, and ongoing environmental responsibilities
Management of the District’s Community Program interests and objectives


Just thought I'd remind those who forgot, implementing selective memory or just don't like the stadium from the get go.

[Iwant2playNOW]

Why would someone take the time to write all that...man..get out of the house on a Saturday night and have some fun!!

No one ever stated that the Stadium District was not doing their job....I think you read into the previous posts.

While a new scoreboard probably falls under the improvement/upgrade category it is cetainly not a NEEDED improvement at this time. And seeing how the vast majority of their funding is thru tax dollars (a tax that was supposed to be dissolved already), the proper procedure would be to put it to a vote for everyone in the 5 county area.

I would vote yes for the new sound system as the current one is hadly acceptable, but as for the scoreboard...NO WAY!

[WITI6fan]

I think the sound issue has to do with the difficulty in designing a system that can work as a indoor system and a outdoor system.

[LoadStar]

a tax that was supposed to be dissolved already

Not sure where you get this from. Officially, there is no sunset date for the tax; unofficially, the stadium district has always been aiming for a 2014 sunset.

If you can find me one piece of info that says that the tax would have been ended on or before 2008, I'd be glad to review it.

[Iwant2playNOW]

I had a "seat" on the Village of Hales Corners planning commission back when the stadium tax was first being introduced...there were numerous meetings held in several cities within the 5 county tax zone that were led by a group of pro-tax representatives that were hired by the Brewers. Basically it was a sales meeting...Bud himself was even an active participant as was his daughter (I believe her name was Wendy).

I very clearly recall them leading a presentation that was titled "5 in 5", thus referring to the 5 counties in 5 years. In fact, every time I see one of these stupid Subway $5 foot long commercials I have a flashback to the slide show put on by the above mentioned representatives...it was very well put together and made me learn MS PowerPoint better.

Now, by the time this tax was put to vote by everyone in the 5 counties I have no idea if the official language of the tax was altered or not specific enough to include an official end date.

Anyone who wants to search for this information...have fun...it may exist, it may not...who knows...we all know how politicians / government works. Regardless though, the initial plan pitched to the people was for the tax to end in 5 years.

[Talos4]

Why would someone take the time to write all that...man..get out of the house on a Saturday night and have some fun!!


Thanks for your concern. Social interaction is really not problem on this end.

Having driven nearly 500 miles that day I was too wired to sleep that night, and I didn't type all of that. More like copy and paste. All of that is from the stadium districts website. Pretty easy to find.

I had a "seat" on the Village of Hales Corners planning commission back when the stadium tax was first being introduced...there were numerous meetings held in several cities within the 5 county tax zone that were led by a group of pro-tax representatives that were hired by the Brewers. Basically it was a sales meeting...Bud himself was even an active participant as was his daughter (I believe her name was Wendy).

I very clearly recall them leading a presentation that was titled "5 in 5", thus referring to the 5 counties in 5 years.

I have no doubt that this was "presented" there were alot of plans being presented and proposed between 1995 and 97. That doesn't make the one you heard the one that was finally adopted.

Everything I've read regarding the financial package that was ultimately approved in 1997 always mentions a 17 year sunset provision which would make it 2014.

All of this information is easily available. Just google "Milwaukee Miller Park Tax" it's easy. Articles dating back to 1995.

[vegasvic]

I've been hearing for years that they were looking to upgrade the scoreboard, so this isn't something the management just decided to do at the end of the season. It's probably been being discussed and planned for for years.


You are absolutely right. Upgrading the scoreboard is something Attanasio has wanted to do since he bought the team. They have both a long term and short term capital budget and it's been scheduled for 2010 for some time. Attanasio has tried to get it moved up to 2008 and then 2009 but it didn't work out within their budget. So although it's been recently announced for 2010, it's been in the 2010 budget for quite awhile.

Anyone remember the first replay board at County Stadium? It was the black and white Omega board. "State of the Art" when we decided to buy it. But no sooner was it installed that color DiamondVision boards popped up. Doh!

[Chinatown]

is leased at Miller Park. When the time is up, they are able to get the newest innovations. Yes, nothing is ever payed off, but the facility will always be getting all the new bells and whistles.

[Talos4]

There's alway's an element of the public that believes the mantra that major league sports is not necessary for a community.

The reality is that Major League sports does quite a bit for a community's economy and it's collective attitude about it's self.

If the attitude of we don't need to build or improve these facilities were to prevail and include the economic realities of financing these improvements we might...

still be watching baseball at the corner of 7th and Burleigh.

The Packers may or may not still be playing at City stadium and the Bucks would still be playing at the Allen Bradley gym.

A .005% tax is more of a benefit to the community than raising taxes to pay for a salary increase of part time county supervisors.