An electronic scoreboard, (White Way) during a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings on March 9, 2007 at Joe Louis Arena

A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. The Detroit Red Wings are a professional Ice hockey team based in Detroit Michigan, and current Stanley Cup champions The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles California. Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe, and JLA, is a Hockey Arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit Michigan. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to display the score. When a point was made, a person would put the appropriate digits on a hook. Most modern scoreboards use electromechanical or electronic means of displaying the score. In these, digits are often composed of large dot-matrix or seven-segment displays made of incandescent bulbs, light-emitting diodes, or electromechanical flip segments. A dot matrix is a 2-dimensional Array of dots used to generate characters symbols and images A seven-segment display (abbreviation " 7-seg (ment display" less commonly known as a seven-segment indicator, is a form of electronic Display device The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general An official or neutral person will operate the scoreboard, using a control panel.

Manufacturers

Among the United States companies that manufacture scoreboards are Daktronics, OES Scoreboards, Fair Play Scoreboards, Nevco, S'portable Scoreboards, Varsity Scoreboards, Spectrum, Santech, Scoretronics, Naden and Electro-Mech. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Daktronics Inc ( is an American company based in Brookings South Dakota that designs manufactures sells and services Video board, Scoreboards Fair Play is a company that manufactures Scoreboards, Video boards, and electronic displays

Technology

A hand operated scoreboard at Wrigley Field

Prior to the 1980s most electronic scoreboards were electro-mechanical. Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago They contained relays or stepping switches controlling digits consisting of incandescent light bulbs. A relay is an electrical Switch that opens and closes under the control of another Electrical circuit. In electrical controls a stepping switch is an electromechanical device which allows an input connection to be connected to one of a number of possible output connections under The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general Beginning in the 1980s, advances in solid state electronics permitted major improvements in scoreboard technology. Solid-state Electronic components devices and systems are based entirely on the Semiconductor, such as Transistors Microprocessor chips and High power semiconductors such as thyristors and transistors replaced mechanical relays, light-emitting diodes first replaced light bulbs for indoor scoreboards and then, as their brightness increased, outdoor scoreboards. A semiconductor' is a Solid material that has Electrical conductivity in between a conductor and an insulator; it can vary over that The thyristor is a solid-state Semiconductor device with four layers of alternating N and P-type material In Electronics, a transistor is a Semiconductor device commonly used to amplify or switch electronic signals A relay is an electrical Switch that opens and closes under the control of another Electrical circuit. The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general Light-emitting diodes last many times as long as light bulbs, are not subject to breakage, and are much more efficient at converting electrical energy to light. The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general The newest light emitting diodes can last up to 100,000 hours before having to be replaced. Advances in large scale integrated circuits permitted the introduction of computer control. Microchipsjpg|right|thumb|200px|Microchips ( EPROM memory with a transparent window showing the integrated circuit inside A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. This also made it cost effective to send the signals that control the operation of the scoreboard either through the existing AC wires providing power to the scoreboard or through the air. Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA is a form of Economic analysis that compares the relative expenditure (costs and outcomes (effects of two or more courses of action A wire is a single usually cylindrical, elongated string of drawn Metal. Electric power is defined as the rate at which Electrical energy is transferred by an Electric circuit. Powerline modems permit the digital control signals to be sent over the AC power lines. Modem (from mo dulator- dem odulator is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode Digital information Digital control is a branch of Control theory that uses Digital Computers to act as a system Electric power transmission, a process in the delivery of Electricity to consumers is the bulk transfer of electrical power The most common method of sending digital data over power lines at rates less than 2400 bits per second is called frequency shift keying (FSK). The term digital signal is used to refer to more than one concept Frequency-shift keying (FSK is a Frequency modulation scheme in which digital information is transmitted through discrete frequency changes of a Carrier wave Two radio frequencies represent binary 0 and 1. The binary numeral system, or base-2 number system, is a Numeral system that represents numeric values using two symbols usually 0 and 1. Radio transmission such as FSK sends data digitally. In Telecommunications transmission is the process of sending propagating and receiving an analogue or digital information signal over a physical point-to-point or Until recently radio transmission was subject to short range and interference by other radio sources. In Telecommunications transmission is the process of sending propagating and receiving an analogue or digital information signal over a physical point-to-point or In physics interference is the addition ( superposition) of two or more Waves that result in a new wave pattern Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. A fairly recent technology called spread spectrum permits much more robust radio control of scoreboards. Spread-spectrum techniques are methods by which Energy generated in a particular bandwidth is deliberately spread in the Frequency domain, resulting Spread spectrum, like the name implies, distributes the signal over a wide portion of the radio spectrum. Spread-spectrum techniques are methods by which Energy generated in a particular bandwidth is deliberately spread in the Frequency domain, resulting Radio frequency ( RF) is a Frequency or rate of Oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz This helps the signal resist interference which is usually confined to a narrow frequency band. A frequency range or frequency band is a range of Wave frequencies.

Scoreboards in various sports

North American football

In both the United States and Canadian football codes, the minimum details displayed are the time and score of both teams. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with In accordance with the Manual of Style (see) Canadian English is used throughout this article (see Canadian_English#Spelling) A typical high school scoreboard will additionally display the down, the yardage of the line of scrimmage, the yards to go until a first down, the team with the possession (usually signified with the outline of a football in lights next to the possessing team's score) and the quarter. High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution First Down redirects here For the Prison Break episode see First Down (Prison Break episode. First Down redirects here For the Prison Break episode see First Down (Prison Break episode. A football is a Ball used to play one of the various sports known as Football. Higher levels will also include play clocks and the number of time outs left for each team. A play clock (also called a delay-of-game timer is a timer designed to increase the pace (and subsequently the score in American football and Canadian football, Time Out is a Publishing company based in London, England. The company's best known product is the Time Out weekly listings Magazine American football scoreboards may include a horn to signal the end of a quarter, but they are not used in larger venues. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with A horn speaker is a Loudspeaker which uses a horn to increase the overall efficiency of the driving element typically a diaphragm driven by an electromagnet

Basketball

A basketball scoreboard will at the minimum display the time left in the period and both team's scores. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m The last minute of each quarter is usually displayed with tenths of a second, which is required in FIBA, NBA (since 1989), and NCAA (since 2001). Most high school scoreboards also include a display of the number of team fouls, the number of the last player to commit a personal foul (with the total number of personal fouls for that player), the period, and indicators of which team is in the team foul penalty situation (not used in FIBA play), and possession (with a separate possession arrow display at half-court). In Basketball, a personal foul is a breach of the rules that concerns illegal personal contact with an opponent College basketball scoreboards include shot clocks and the number of time outs left for each team. A shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game Larger scoreboards include statistics on the players in the game. Basketball scoreboards must include a horn or buzzer to signal the end of a period, fouls, and substitutions. Klaxon is a trademark for an electromechanical horn or alerting device A buzzer or beeper is a signalling device usually electronic typically used in Automobiles household appliances such as a Microwave oven, or

In some multipurpose venues where ice hockey and basketball are played, the scoreboard unit which shows penalties will be used to display the player on the court, number of fouls, and points scored in the game. The team fouls are usually placed in the same position as shots on goal in hockey games.

Since 1991, the NBA has mandated that each shot clock carry a duplicate readout of the time left in the period in addition to the shot time. Many college and even some high-school shot clocks (in states where a shot-clock rule is in effect for high-school basketball) now also include a game timer.

After various arenas, from fan requests, installed three-sided game shot clocks, the NBA instituted a new game shot clock rule in 2002, requiring specific visibility of the game and shot clock time for replay purposes. FIBA installed a similar three-sided rule in 2004. The rule was further changed in 2005 by a new Daktronics see-through model (one on top of the basket, one on the end of the basket unit); that model is now used in FedExForum (where the unit was tested in 2004-05), Wachovia Center and the newly built Charlotte Bobcats Arena (both installed in 2005), and the TD Banknorth Garden and Philips Arena (both installed for the 2006-07 season). Daktronics Inc ( is an American company based in Brookings South Dakota that designs manufactures sells and services Video board, Scoreboards FedExForum is one of the National Basketball Association 's most distinctive Arenas It officially opened in September 2004 after much debate and also an Alberta The Wachovia Center, formerly known as the CoreStates Center and the First Union Center, is an indoor arena located in Philadelphia Pennsylvania The Time Warner Cable Arena (also known locally as "TWC Arena" "St TD Banknorth Garden is a sports Arena in Boston Massachusetts. Philips Arena is an indoor arena in Atlanta Georgia. Completed in 1999 at a cost of $213

Daktronics recently introduced a technology called ColorSmart. This technology changes the LED color based on the game information. For example when a team is winning the score is in green and when the team is losing the score is in red. Unfortunately though this feature isn't permitted in FIBA, NBA, NCAA, or High School basketball because the clock must be kept the same color without change. This rule was introduced in 1994 when Spectrum Scoreboards created a similar concept.

Baseball

A large scoreboard used for Major League Baseball at Progressive Field. This scoreboard is in full color and has a large video screen integrated.

Hockey scoreboard in Helsinki Ice Hall.

The Pylon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

For baseball the scoreboard will at the minimum show both team scores, as well as the current inning. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway Indiana (an Enclave of Indianapolis) in the United States, is the home of the Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of Sports &ndash most notably Cricket and Baseball during In addition the number of balls, strikes and outs is represented by digits or individual lights. Larger scoreboards offer an inning-by-inning breakdown of the scores, hits, errors, and the time of day. An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of Sports &ndash most notably Cricket and Baseball during There may also be another display either separate or combined with the scoreboard listing the radar gun reading of the last pitch thrown in miles per hour. A radar gun or speed gun is a small Doppler radar used to detect the speed of objects Almost all Major League facilities have a video board as a scoreboard or a matrix display. Usually these scoreboards are controlled via programs that keep statistics and not just the score. Usually the official scorer will operate this program. Then all the information the official scorer will enter will automatically be outputted to the scoreboard. Currently, the largest scoreboard is located at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Progressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of the American Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state

Manually-operated scoreboards are still found frequently in baseball, particularly at older venues. Well-known examples of manual scoreboards, using numbers painted on metal sheets hung by people working inside the scoreboard, include Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago

Cricket

For cricket a scoreboard displays the batting team's score, each batsman's score, overs remaining, extras, and other statistics. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries

Ice hockey

An ice hockey scoreboard will at the minimum display the time left (in North America) or played (in Europe), the number of goals scored by each team as well as any penalties currently being served. Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team Sport played on Ice. Additional information such as shots on goal may be shown on smaller scoreboards located in the arena. Tenths of a second are usually displayed within the last minute of each period.

In multipurpose arenas, the penalties being served will appear in the multi-purpose panels, used for player statistics in basketball, with shots on goal in the same position as team fouls for basketball.

Motor sports

In auto racing, the scoreboard typically displays the running order of the race, and number of laps completed. Auto racing (also known as automobile racing, motor racing or car racing) is a Motorsport involving Racing Cars It Some more complex boards scroll statistics such as average speed, laps behind, and timing reports.

Track and field

In track and field there is usually an elapsed time display. Sometimes the team scores are displayed. Often in higher levels there is a variable message display next to each field event area that displays the standings and who is up next. Other indicators may show track side wind speed. In some settings where a track surrounds an athletic field, a track and field scoreboard may be combined within the football scoreboard.

Asociation football (Soccer)

A football scoreboard usually shows the score for the home and away team, as well as the current match time. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered A board displaying the current stoppage time is usually held up by one of the match officials towards the end of the first and second half. The same board is also used to denote the jersey numbers of players coming in and leaving the game during a substitution, with the substitute's number appearing in green, while the leaving player is denoted in red. In team Sports the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, or uniform number is the Number A substitute is a player in Association football who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player

Some amateur and youth levels will have the clock count down.

Some American venues will use a multi-purpose gridiron/soccer venue type scoreboard where various statistics are shown. Such may include either total fouls, corner kicks, shots on goal, or other important statistics for spectators to learn their team's overall performance.

Softball

Similar to baseball, a softball scoreboard will at the minimum show both team scores and the current inning. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Softball is a team Sport popular especially in the United States. In addition, the number of balls, strikes and outs, and the number of hits and errors are often indicated.

Swimming

The scores for the meet, swimmer by lane, and their current placing, along with their race times are displayed on this type of board. The time display is most often in hundredths of a second, though thousandths may also be utilized. In Mathematics and Arithmetic, a hundredth is one part of a unit or one divided equally into one hundred parts This list compares various sizes of positive Numbers including counts of things Dimensionless quantity and probabilities.

Wrestling

Wrestling scoreboards will display the team scores, the current match time, the match score, and the weight class. Some scoreboards may also display riding time.

Video Board Animation

Most MLB facilities will use a video board and display graphics and fun videos relating to what is happening in the game. For instance, a home run may be depicted by an animation of a ball flying out to space. These animations are usually high in detail and are customized for the team that uses them. Most MLB facilities do their video editing on site in the press box, however at AAA stadiums most of it is done off site. The only AAA facility that does video editing on site is the Toledo Mudhens in Toledo, Ohio (Affiliate to the Detroit Tigers) Some teams have animators that create their own animations, while others have outside companies do the work for them. The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor league baseball team located in Toledo Ohio. This article is about the city in Ohio, USA. For Toledo Spain, see that article

External links

• Official OES Scoreboards website
• Official Daktronics Scoreboards website
• Official Sportable Scoreboards website
• Official Varsity Scoreboards website
• Official Nevco Scoreboards website
• Keyframe Website
• Jamination Website
• Official Spectrum Scoreboards website