Big Ten to enhance football gameday experience

Big Ten schools can now show an unlimited number of replays on football stadium videoboards, as recently approved by conference administrators. The enhanced replay program occurred as part of a broader discussion by the Big Ten Football Gameday Experience Subcommittee in an effort to supplement the in-stadium experience.

Previously, institutions were able to show one replay at no less than 75 percent of real-time speed. The enhanced policy gives an institution the discretion to show multiple replays at any speed, similar to what is done for television audiences.

?Our goal on game day is to blend the best parts of an in-stadium experience with the best parts of an at-home experience,? said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. ?Enhanced replay is just one way to do that and we look forward to making it available to our fans this year.?

?This decision is another positive step forward as we strive to create remarkable experiences for our fans in these great stadiums where our teams play,? said Ohio State Director of Athletics Eugene Smith, the chair of the Big Ten Football Gameday Experience Subcommittee.

Also, the subcommittee has encouraged each institution to explore the feasibility of adding full WiFi and Distributed Antenna System (DAS) coverage along with enhanced audio/video content (e.g., locker room video) that would be proprietary to stadium videoboards. The group also encouraged institutions to provide increased coverage of other Big Ten and NCAA games and to explore the possibility of creating lounge-style environments for fans to watch those games or to connect through social media.

The subcommittee will continue to explore other possibilities for improving the in-stadium experience and fan suggestions can be sent to Kerry Kenny (kkenny@bigten.org), the Big Ten liaison to the subcommittee.