If there was ever something not enjoyable about attending a Bison football game at the Fargodome, it would be the poor placement and quality of the replay boards. Positioned on the columns at each corner, the old boards made it nearly impossible to see replays, especially of close calls.

This year, however, will be different. Six brand new high definition video boards made their debut on Saturday when the Bison hosted Charleston Southern.

The biggest boards over the end zones measure 100 by 29 feet. While not Dallas Cowboy sized, it is plenty big enough to see what was going on in the cozy confines of the Fargodome.

The old displays in the corners have been replaced as well, upgraded to 22 by 20 feet boards with 10mm resolution, the same as the larger boards.

In an interview with The Forum, assistant athletic director for marketing and fan engagement Justin Swanson said, “This is going to be the biggest game-day change for Bison football since moving from Dacotah Field to the Fargodome.”

This is the largest upgrade that the Fargodome has had in its 23 year life. The last time the video boards were upgraded was 2002.

The boards will not only offer the fans better visibility of replays, but also increased fan participation as well. The in-game program of crowd prompts will be improved as well, in an attempt to get more fans invested in the game.

The boards have been manufactured by the Brookings, South Dakota company Daktronics. The company has also worked with the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots, as well as many other professional teams for video boards.

The total cost of the project sits at $7.2 million dollars. Included in that cost is a $1.3 million control room. A crew of at least 10 people will be used in order to properly work the boards.