University of Illinois Moves Forward with College Sports’ Largest Digital Scoreboard

The University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., recently announced a series of upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium that will include the largest scoreboard in college sports, according to a news release. The university is collaborating with Anthony James Partners (AJP) for the project, which will include planning design, support, and construction services. The project also entails stadium audio and broadcast system upgrades.

The new scoreboard will measure 69 feet high by 250 feet wide, measuring in at more than 17,300 square feet of LED surface. Its 10mm pixel pitch and 16.1-million total pixels create a 195% increase in resolution from the existing technology. Completion is scheduled before the beginning of the 2026 college football season. According to the news release, it will replace the stadium’s existing South End Zone display.

“This project exemplifies AJP’s commitment to combining innovative design with next-generation audio technology,” said Jack Covert, Anthony James Partners’ Vice President of Audio Engineering. “Gies Memorial Stadium’s new system will deliver the clarity, power, and excitement today’s fans expect from a premier college football venue.”

Stadium-wide improvements also include 16 additional LED displays totaling more than 26,700 square feet scattered across the stadium. Alongside the upgraded technology, the stadium will undergo structural and infrastructure coordination to accommodate the main scoreboard’s size.

The university chose Daktronics to provide the LED display after a “competitive procurement process,” the news release reports.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Announces 2026 Product Award Winners

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2026 Product Awards! The award program spotlights outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to enhance K–12 and higher-education learning environments.

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • Minnesota District Opens New PreK–12 School

    Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop Schools in Gibbon, Minn., recently announced that construction is complete on a new, $68.9-million school for students in grades PreK–12, according to a news release.