BRAINERD — A new video scoreboard could be installed at Brainerd High School in time for next year’s football season, and it could also raise some money for future athletic needs.
The Brainerd School Board on Tuesday, Dec. 10, agreed to Brainerd Sports Boosters’ proposal to purchase a Daktronics scoreboard and new audio system at no cost to the district. Activities Director Jack Freeman told the board that Sports Boosters will pay $434,655 for the scoreboard and audio system, which will be donated to the district.
Brainerd said the district lags far behind other area districts when it comes to soccer field technology. He showed pictures of video scoreboards from schools like Alexandria Elk River, Detroit Lakes, Locoli and St. Cloud Tech.
“When our team goes on the road, this is what you see at the opposing school’s stadium,” he said. “And when they came back, they said, ‘When are you going to do this in Brainerd?’
Freeman said he has been listening to feedback from the community and investigating the issue for the past several years. He primarily considered the model used in Alexandria because it included a viable way to generate revenue. The scoreboard will be surrounded by 12 sponsorship panels that businesses can use to pay for advertising. The six panels on the sides of the scoreboard will be founding partner panels and will be sold for $15,000 annually under a five-year agreement. The six smaller panels below the board will be sold as community partner panels for $12,000 under a five-year agreement. And to make the deal even more appealing, it also includes the installation of advertising panels around two video boards in the high school’s gymnasium and aquatics center.
“We’re trying to tie everything together so we don’t ask too many questions,” Freeman said. “We also thought it would help with negotiation and visibility, increasing the value of the request.”
The panel will generate $162,000 in revenue each year, repaying the cost of the scoreboard in the first three years. That money goes back to the Boosters and is put into a separate account that can be used for capital projects in the athletic department.
“These are going to be your big dream projects,” Freeman said. “Think about stadium video boards, softball field lights, grass practice fields with bubbles, those types of items.”
He added that districts can find creative ways to combine that funding with long-term facility maintenance funds within the district to address existing athletic infrastructure needs. However, long-term facility maintenance funds can only be used for existing infrastructure, not new construction.
Freeman emphasized the strong partnership the district and Boosters have had over the years, noting that the group excels at fundraising and has a proven track record and strong reputation in the community. The Boosters would keep the money, but an agreement would be in place to ensure that the money would be returned to the district if relations between the Boosters and the district deteriorated in the future.
Freeman said the project is a great way to connect with the business community and does not require the district to allocate staff time and resources or tax dollars to the purchase.
The existing scoreboard at the high school will be reused and moved to the soccer practice field or Forest View Middle School, if needed.
Board member Randy Heidman said he is fully supportive of the project.
“I wish we had a math booster club, a science booster club, a reading booster club,” he said. “…But this is really great.”
Freeman said there will be great excitement in the community about the sponsorship opportunity. Board Chairman Kevin Boyles joked that he only had 11 panels to sell because Donderinger Chevrolet, owned by board member DJ Donderinger, would definitely receive one. .
Donderinger jokingly replied, “Stay out of the lane there, Disco,” referring to Boyles’ shiny, brightly colored shirt.
Board member John Ward noted that while revenue from the project will be used solely for athletic needs, it could free up more of the district’s funds for academic activities.
“From my perspective, this is not a competitive deal because it takes into account athletic needs and doesn’t have to compete with academic needs,” Ward said, adding that the project said it is a win-win.
Interim Superintendent Peter Grant reminded the board that the funds generated will go to the boosters and cannot be used for anything other than athletics. Board member Sarah Speer said while that’s a valid concern, it’s still money the district doesn’t have now and won’t do any good in the future.
Hydeman and Boyles both said they are trying to make it clear to the community that the project’s perspective comes amid concerns about the district’s budget and that the money is coming from Booster, not the district. . Boyles emphasized that purchasing the scoreboard does not eliminate other financial needs within the district.
“I think the narrative can be controlled correctly and properly conveyed how this works. This is sports booster money, reducing third-grade class sizes, buying 500,000 scoreboards, etc. It’s a strong, repeated communication that we’re not going to do that.” Boyles said the construction of the scoreboard will happen at about the same time the district works on its budget.
The district reiterated that the project is a positive for academic resources because the new funding will direct more of the district’s general fund to those needs, rather than athletic needs.
Board members unanimously approved the proposal.
Freeman plans to begin recruiting sponsors in January, close on deals in April, and complete construction of the scoreboard in early July, in time for football season.
THERESA BOURKE can be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa.
