There were clear skies and a stillness in the air in Iowa City last Sunday evening, the kind of calm that seems foreign in a town known for its raucous fall afternoons.
Inside historic Kinnick Stadium, a building that has stood since 1929, the stands are empty, but the lights are ablaze, and the quiet Midwestern evening is quickly disrupted by the rip and roar of the University of Iowa's newest crown jewels: a set of new high-definition video displays.
Construction crews work on the new videoboard on the north side of Kinnick Stadium while Hawkvision tests out the revamped HD board in the background. (The Gazette)
Construction crews have spent all summer renovating the old building, and, on this night, the boards and their new high-definition infrastructure were undergoing their first full test.
For Mike Moriarity - a 1985 graduate who has been video director for the Hawkeyes since 1992 - it's a special moment. As he looks across the historic stadium at the bright, flashing images, his eyes widen like a kid who just came across the largest Christmas tree he'd ever seen.
It just blew my mind how great it looked, he said. I think our fans are going to be shocked when they see this.
When 70,000+ fans pack into Kinnick for the Hawkeyes season opener against Northern Illinois on Aug. 31, the Iowa faithful will be treated to a revamped video experience.
The board on the south side of the stadium, a whopping 122 x 31 ft., is now entirely an HD flatscreen. (The Gazette)
At the south side of the stadium, a 122- x 31-ft. all-HD board by Daktronics was installed where the former SD screen formerly stood. The addition comes in the form of an unusual structure on the stadium's north side: in the northwest and northeast corners of the end zones are a pair of 38- x 21-ft. HD boards connected by a long ribbon board measuring 8 x 381 ft.
It obviously gives the fans a much better-quality video experience at Kinnick Stadium, says Moriarity. The videoboards are bigger, there's more of them, and we're going to be able to deliver multiple replay angles at the same time. These are things we've never been able to do before. The in-game experience for the fans is going to be greatly improved.
To power the board, the Iowa athletic department entrusted the help of integrator Alpha Video to build a new HD control room inside Kinnick Stadium. The control room is outfitted with a Ross Video Tritium switcher (64 in/32 out), a Chyron graphics engine, an Evertz Dreamcatcher replay system (which has 4K capabilities), AJA frame syncs and record, and a Ross Video Blackstorm server. Inside the stadium bowl, Hawkvision will shoot with three Sony NEX FS-100 cameras.
On the north side of Kinnick, two 38- x 21-ft. screens are connected by an 8- x 381-ft. ribbon board.
According to Moriarity, the new videoboards create an intimate feel to the large stadium. Despite seating nearly 71,000 fans, Kinnick has only one level, and the stands are right up against the sidelines. That layout has given it a reputation for not having a bad seat.
The stadium is pretty closed in, says Moriarity. So, not only are these boards bigger, they're not really that far from the fans.
The upgrade is especially exciting for Moriarity. His department does everything from programming videoboard shows at Kinnick and at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (home to men's and women's basketball and volleyball) to creating coach's shows with football coach Kirk Ferentz and men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery. Hawkvision also works with BTN's Student U program to offer production opportunities to work on live streams of Iowa's Olympic sports.
Since Moriarity arrived as a staff member in '92, he has seen the Iowa athletics program undergo a complete evolution. From the days of no video screens at all, he has helped oversee the installation of the first Jumbotron in the mid '90s, its upgrade to an SD flatscreen in the 2000s, construction of a production studio and control room in Carver-Hawkeye Arena two years ago, and now the full HD upgrade of Kinnick and the athletic department infrastructure.
We've gotten better and better each time, and, each time we had a change like that, it's been exciting, says Moriarity. But this one is by far the biggest, most extreme change that we've ever done.
It's a brand new stadium experience that Moriarity hopes will have Hawkeye fans begging the question
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
There were clear skies and a stillness in the air in Iowa City last Sunday evening, the kind of calm that seems foreign in a town known for its raucous fall afternoons.
