It’s big and it’s on campus. Missouri Western is now the home of one of the largest video scoreboard of all schools in NCAA Division II.
Back in June, eight flatbed trailers caravaned from Corona, California to St. Joseph with the video scoreboard components. The St. Joseph News-Press and KNPN even sent a reporter, Alex Flippin, to travel with the trucks and report live on the road. After overnight stops in Las Vegas and Silverthorne, Colorado (where they visited alumni entrepreneurs), the components arrived on June 9, where a press conference and celebration were held.
Steve Craig, founder and CEO of Craig Realty Group who contributed $1.1 million of the estimated $2.6 million project, coordinated the caravan and was on hand for the celebration when it arrived on campus. Also attending were Alex Birner and Louis Troiani from MultimediaLED, the group that conceived and engineered the design of the scoreboard.
“Steve Craig’s mantra, ‘Go big or go home,’ has guided the entire video board process from its very beginning,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president. “We are so grateful for his vision and support, and proud to have such an outstanding addition to the stadium.”
Private donors have pledged the rest of the cost through the Centennial Capital Campaign. The video board debuted Sept. 1, when Griffon football hosted University of Nebraska-Kearney.
Missouri Western’s Video Scoreboard Facts:
- One of the largest video scoreboard in NCAA Division II and larger than Faurot Field’s board at the University of Missouri
- Largest scoreboard in the MIAA
- 2,500 square-foot display
- Missouri Western becomes one of nine MIAA members to have a video board at its football facility
- Craig’s gift is the largest by an individual in the history of Griffon Athletics