New Scoreboard for the Orioles- WOOHOO!

Thanks to James Baker of Oriole Magic for the note - tip of the cap..

With the new season approaching, there is finally a little bit of good news for Oriole fans.

Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun reported that the Stadium Authority voted to replace the antiquated scoreboard in center field.

Under the agreement, ANC Sports Enterprises and Mitsubishi have guaranteed that the new display will be in place by March 17, two weeks before Opening Day.

The video display was the largest part of a $9 million project agreed to by the stadium authority and the Orioles last month. A revamped audio system and a high-definition video control room are the other major parts.

"We're pleased to offer fans a video experience that will be unsurpassed by any other ballpark in America," authority chairman Frederick W. Puddester said.

A 24-by-74-foot (nice!) screen above the scoreboard will be the centerpiece of the new video display. (The old JumboTron was 23 feet by 31 feet.) The main scoreboard, the out-of-town scoreboard in right field and the "ribbon" scoreboards on decks around the park also will be upgraded.

The new video screen and scoreboards will operate on light-emitting diode (LED) technology, creating a much sharper picture than the old JumboTron, which operated much like a traditional television set. The screens will be capable of accepting a high-definition picture, though not all images on them will appear in high definition.

This is great news for the fans. Lord knows what the product will be like on the field, but the board will be a welcome change from the old technology.

Hopefully, the Orioles will NOT TRY to pass the cost onto the consumer.