Purpose

The biggest difference between MLB gameday and MiLB gameday is that it is about the entire experience in the MiLB, not just the game. The relationship between the fans and the players is more intimate. The Patriots often had unique promotions to maintain that intimate connection. I created large-scale digital advertisements for upcoming events to keep fans and locals updated.

Process

I looked ahead at the promotion calendar and decided which events needed to be promoted in-game. I incorporated Somerset’s elements to create large graphics and sometimes wrote a PA script to go along with it. I uploaded the finished graphics as jpg files to Daktronics which projected them instantly onto the stadium’s jumbotron.

Adobe Photoshop, Daktronics

Re-Sizing

main board
1296px x 408px

content-sized
726px x 398px

matrix-sized
275px x 197px

A big part of my role was re-sizing graphics for different parts of the jumbotron. I’d typically create a graphic for the “main board” size and then scale down elements for smaller sizes.

scaled
down 50%

Lineup Card

Adobe Photoshop, Daktronics

The Somerset Patriots debuted their new alternate identity "the Jersey Diners” during my intern season. In an effort to create a complete Diner gameday experience, I created special editions of regular jumbotron/scoreboard graphics.

I was inspired by classic order pads, with the number being the day of the Diners’ debut. The lineup card was shown on the screen for the duration of the game.

First designed in Photoshop, it was then transferred to the Daktronics system. Here, players’ names and batting averages were automatically updated.

Beyond

Designing something as grand as the digital billboards taught me much more about readability and legibility than designing for any phone screen. I also learned lessons in timeliness and making graphics eye-catching when needed. There were instances when advertisements would have less than 10 seconds of screentime. I am also grateful to have seen reactions to my work in real time, observing people’s reactions from the press box.