In response to popular demand for a photo of the new scoreboard, here is a preview that you all are curious about… I took this picture a day before its Verizon Center debut on Tuesday, September 25 during the Washington Capitals first home preseason game. You can tell the top portion of the scoreboard is showing the hockey statistics.
It is touted as the first indoor high-definition LED scoreboard. Verizon Center is also the first arena to exclusively feature Diamond Vision™ LED fascia (ribbon displays), corner stat displays, and video boards driven by ANC Sports’ patent pending VisionSOFT operating system. The new scoreboard and fascia boards will offer fans the ultimate arena experience by providing crystal-clear images, color and clarity unlike any other arena in the country.
The four high-definition Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Visionâ„¢ 6mm video screens measure 14 feet, 5 inches high by 25 feet, 2 inches wide, providing fans with the highest clarity of all the action, including video playback. In addition to the high-definition boards, the new center-hung scoreboard features four 10mm 5 foot, 3 inch high by 25 foot 6 inch wide LED video matrixes and two 20mm LED rings. The four 10mm video matrixes feature images with clarity found on many primary arena video screens around the country, creating an incredible visual structure with the high-definition displays that exhibit over 68 billion colors.
High-Definition Diamond Visionâ„¢ Center-Hung Video Screens (each screen): Height: 14 feet, 5 inches Width: 25 feet, 2 inches Pixel-Pitch: 6 mm Screen Area: 365 sq. ft Resolution: 736 x 1280 dot resolution Possible Colors: 68.7 billion
Editor’s Notes:
Tenth Anniversary: Verizon Center is launching its year-long tenth anniversary campaign today at 9:30 a.m. at Spingarn High School with a Community Service Day makeover. Team personnel, players and staff members from the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Washington Capitals and Verizon Center will help paint Spingarn High School’s gym and landscape the exterior of the school.
Building Makeover: Verizon Center has also undertaken a makeover of its own to celebrate the building’s 10th Anniversary. Besides the new scoreboard, patrons visiting Verizon Center in the coming weeks will see a new concourse color scheme and directional signage. Many more improvements are planned throughout the coming months.
This morning the Wizards were shooting a TV commercial spot with Gilbert Arenas, while Nick Young was making his debut on the green screen for a Wizards in-game video. Check out the behind-the-scenes photos.
Additionally, Comcast SportsNet will televise three live 2007-08 preseason games: Tuesday, October 9 at Cleveland, Sunday, October 14 at Philadelphia and Friday, October 19 against Zalgiris Kaunas at Verizon Center.
Comcast SportsNet will begin their broadcast of 64 regular season games with the regular season opener in Indiana on October 31st. More than half of the games will be covered in thrilling high definition format. In addition to the 64 games to be carried on Comcast SportsNet, and complete postgame coverage, the network will produce an additional 11 games to air on the CSN + channel (a full channel listing is available at www.comcastsportsnet.com).
The Wizards are also scheduled to appear on national television 18 times:
ESPN Games (7)
NBATV Games (9)
TNT Thursday (2)
11/2 at Boston
11/9 vs. DENVER
2/8 at Denver
2/10 at Phoenix
2/29 at Chicago
3/23 vs. DETROIT
4/4 vs. MIAMI
12/1 vs. TORONTO
12/22 at Indiana
12/29 vs. MIAMI
1/8 vs. HOUSTON
2/3 vs. L.A. LAKERS
2/11 at Golden State
3/15 vs. L.A. CLIPPERS
3/21 at Miami
4/5 at Chicago
“Roger is a versatile player who has worked hard on his overall game this past summer,†said Grunfeld. “He played with us last season and is familiar with our system. We are glad to have him back as a member of our team.â€
Last season, Mason (6-5, 212) averaged 2.7 points per game in 62 games. He tied his career-high with 18 points and connected on a career-best four three-point field goals at New Jersey on February 27, 2007. Mason appeared in four playoff games with the Wizards last season and averaged 6.0 points in 14 minutes per game, including a career postseason-high 10 points at Cleveland on April 25, 2007.
“My heart is in DC,†Mason said. “I feel like I can have a great role with the Wizards and that we have a chance to be a great team this year.”
First, Gilbert Arenas announced he will again team up with Wizards owners Abe and Irene Pollin to donate $100 per point scored by Gilbert in every Wizards regular season game to a public school in the DC Metro Area in his second “Gilbert Scores for Schools” program.
Then on Friday, Caron Butler flew back to his hometown to hold his second annual “Coats for Kids“. Caron partnered with Wal-Mart to provide 700 coats, hats and gloves to the students of Gilmore Middle School in Racine, Wisconsin.
This weekend, Antonio Daniels was one of seven new members to be inducted into Bowling Green State University Athletic Hall of Fame. Daniels, and his fellow Class of 2007, participated in an official induction ceremony on Friday evening and were introduced on Saturday afternoon at the Bowling Green-Temple football game at Doyt Perry Stadium.
Today, it was another good guy who we’ll miss his energy and toughness on the court as well as his good character and active involvement in the community activities. It was announced today that free agent forward Michael Ruffin (6-8, 248) has signed a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
A seven-year NBA veteran, Ruffin played the last three seasons with the Washington Wizards averaging 1.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 185 games. He played in 19 post-season games with the Wizards during the last three seasons, averaging 1.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. In the 2004-05 season he ranked 5th in the NBA in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes (5.0), and in 2005-06 he ranked 3rd in the NBA (5.8) in the same category.
I took this picture a day before its Verizon Center debut on Tuesday, September 25 during the Washington Capitals first home preseason game. You can tell the top portion of the scoreboard is showing the hockey statistics. 
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