Venue News: Jaguars To Install Largest End-Zone Video Boards; Red Wings Announce New Arena Plan

Compiled by Karen Hogan, Associate Editor, Sports Video Group

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced the team has agreed to terms with the City of Jacksonville to undertake approximately $63 million in major enhancements to EverBank Field, including two new end zone video scoreboards that will be the largest of their kind in the world. The plan also calls for a major renovation of the north end zone to introduce a world-class entertainment and viewing area for fans that will position EverBank Field as a destination on NFL game days and help attract and keep premier events in Jacksonville…

…The Detroit Red Wings and city officials on Wednesday announced a $650 million plan for a new arena development for the NHL team in Detroit’s downtown entertainment and sports district. Plans for an 18,000-seat arena were announced by the team’s owners and local economic development officials. Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch has long said he wanted a replacement for the 32-year-old Joe Louis Arena…Un

…Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. is making another play for the sports lover, taking over naming rights for the Ottawa Senators’ home arena. The 19,153-seat arena in suburban Kanata, Ontario, has been known as Scotiabank Place since 2006, when Bank of Nova Scotia took over naming rights from Corel Corp. in a 15-year, $20-million deal. That deal has now been cut short, as the Senators exercised their opt-out clause a couple of months ago. The arena will now be known as the Canadian Tire Centre, effective July 1…

…Athletic director Bubba Cunningham saw North Carolina win a pair of NCAA championships this season and earn recognition as the nation’s best women’s athletic program. Now he’s looking ahead to facility upgrades that could include changes to the home of the Tar Heels’ men’s basketball team…

…UC Berkeley’s plan to sell special football seats to pay off nearly half a billion dollars in stadium debt has long inspired skepticism, as if Cal were setting up a lemonade stand to finance a home mortgage. True, each of those chairs at the newly renovated Memorial Stadium costs $40,000 to $250,000 and is yours for 40 or 50 years. But even Cal officials, who had said they would sell all 2,902 pricey seats by this month, grew skeptical of their own claims last fall…

…International Speedway Corporation has approved funding to redevelop the frontstretch of Daytona International Speedway to enhance the overall experience for its fans, marketing partners and the motorsports industry. The multi-year project will break ground on July 5 and is targeted for completion in January 2016, in time for the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 58th Daytona 500.