Hillsboro R-3 Board of Education members recently agreed to spend $332,284 to buy three electronic scoreboards and an electronic sign from Dak-tronics Sports Marketing in Brookings, S.D.
In addition, the board authorized paying Piros Signs in Barnhart $54,886 to install the scoreboards and signs.
The scoreboards and electronic sign are expected to arrive in a few months, Superintendent Jon Isaacson.
“They’ve been ordered,” he said. “Our goal is to have them in by the spring.”
Isaacson said the district didn’t seek bids for the purchases because there aren’t many suppliers for the signs.
“We’ve had Daktronics as our scoreboard provider in the past,” he added.
The scoreboards will be installed at Hillsboro High School, 123 Leon Hall Parkway. One will be at the football stadium, another at the baseball field and the third in the gymnasium.
The electronic sign will go up in front of Hillsboro Intermediate School, 10478 Business 21, Isaacson said.
“(The football stadium) scoreboard is the same scoreboard used at Busch Stadium on a smaller scale,” he said.
Isaacson said the football stadium’s 16-year-old scoreboard needs repairs, which would cost an estimated $13,000, so school officials had discussions with Daktronics, which resulted in a unique deal for the district.
“We entered into a marketing agreement with Daktronics. The scoreboards will run commercials for the top three sponsors,” Isaacson said. “All sponsors will be promoted on the scoreboards.
“In the first five years, the money raised (through advertising sales) will pay for the signs. After that, it’s all income.”
In addition, Hillsboro High School will begin teaching sports marketing through a program developed by Daktronics, Isaacson said.
“We’ll be starting a sports marketing class, so the kids will be operating all of this,” he said. “With in-game content, the kids will handle promotions (on the scoreboards). They’ll be doing graphic design. We’ll also use the scoreboard at graduations and with guest speakers.”
Isaacson said students will be paid to operate the scoreboards during games.
He said the electronic sign will allow the district to post information “in real time.”
The board voted 7-0 on Nov. 18 to buy the scoreboards and sign and to hire Piros Signs to install them and 7-0 on Dec. 16 to authorize financing to purchase of the scoreboards.