Why have one when two is better? In the first full year of ownership by Diamond Baseball Holdings, the St. Paul Saints are making a significant investment to CHS Field that will enhance the entertainment and viewing experience for fans beginning with the 2024 season. The investment will also benefit the numerous amateur baseball programs served by CHS Field including Hamline University, the MSHSL State Baseball tournament, Saint Paul High School programs, as well as the adult and youth baseball programs that utilize the ballpark. These upgrades will also improve the experience for fans and participants of the many special events hosted by CHS Field; GLOW Holiday Festival, Grill Fest, Thielen Foundation Celebrity Softball, and the Pet Video Festival to name a few. The organization is replacing the static scoreboard in right field with a a state-of-the-art videoboard. In addition, the electronic scoreboard on the third base side is being removed and, in its place, will be a new digital videoboard.
The Saints are removing the original static 9’H x 36’W scoreboard in right field and replacing it with a 16’H x 36’W video display that has a 10mm pixel pitch (the distance between the center of one pixel to the center of the adjacent pixel. For outdoor venues a pixel pitch anywhere between 4mm and 10mm offers great visibility and image quality) and a resolution of 468 lines x 1080 columns.
The state-of-the-art videoboard will provide an interactive display proving live stats and allowing fans to see the automated balls and strikes (ABS) graphic on Tuesday-Thursday when the system calls pitches. Fans will now be able to see exactly where each pitch is in relation to the strike zone during those three days. The Saints will have a comprehensive game presentation with the utilization of their 30’H x 50’W videoboard in left-center field along with the new videoboard. Combined, the Saints will have nearly 2,000 square feet of videoboard usage.
The Saints will completely overhaul their control room equipment which, among other things, allows the organization to bring real-time advanced stats to fans during the game. The Saints can utilize their new videoboard to show pitching stats such as pitch type, spin rate, and vertical and horizontal break and hitting stats like launch angle, exit velocity, and distance.
The videoboard in right field isn’t the only upgrade in the ballpark. The Saints are removing the electronic scoreboard just below the Riverview Suite terrace on the third base side and replacing it with a 4.80”H x 13.20”W video display with a 10mm pixel pitch and 144 pixel lines and 396 pixel columns.
The new equipment will be installed in March just prior to the home opener on March 29. The Saints begin the 2024 season against the Columbus Clippers at 6:37 p.m., their fourth as the Minnesota Twins Triple-A affiliate.
(info courtesy of Saints Baseball)