Samsung To Digitize NY Mets Ballpark With 1,300-plus Screens

December 17, 2021 by Dave Haynes

Samsung has a deal with Major League Baseball’s New York Mets that will see the team’s ballpark kitted out with more than 1,300 screens, including a new LED scoreboard looming over centerfield.

The Citi Field upgrade – touted by Samsung as one of the largest single projects in all of pro sports – will start next year and take about two years to complete. Once done, Samsung says the Mets will host fans at the most technologically advanced ballpark in the major leagues. The upgrades include:

• More than 1,300 LCD screens and 4,000 square feet of direct view LED screens in public spaces, enhancing the fan experience at every touch point and even alerting them when their team merchandise is ready for pick up;
• A ballpark-wide IPTV system that will carry nearly 100 channels of sports and entertainment content;
• Double the number of slow-motion replay systems and three times as many cameras for increased game coverage;
• An enhanced and fully upgraded scoreboard to display the latest LED technology and handle 4K video.

From the moment they arrive on property to the final out, Samsung says, “fans will experience game day in a whole new way. Among the enhancements for 2022 that are expected include new ribbon boards and more than 1,300 LCD screens throughout the ballpark to lead fans to the shortest lines and ensure they don’t miss a single pitch. A new larger and enhanced centerfield scoreboard will be installed for fans’ enjoyment for the 2023 season at Citi Field.”

“Samsung has a rich tradition of innovation and purpose-built technology. Over a two-year period, we’ll transform a once static signage environment to an all-digital experience,” says Mark Quiroz, VP Product Marketing, Display Division, Samsung Electronics America. “By seamlessly weaving display technology and sensors into the existing environment, Samsung will create a gateway for connectivity at Citi Field for both the operators and the fans.”

Samsung has been making some serious gains in the last few years in major sports venues. I’ve been invited along for tours to a few of these venues – when we still did nutty things like leave our homes. The company has the advantage over pure-play LED companies in that it can offer a full range of indoor and outdoor LED, at different pitches, but also then offer LCD and QLED and interactive displays for other parts of the stadium. The particularly interesting kicker, to me, was how Samsung can also sell these stadiums the microwaves, fridges and other consumer appliances that kit out the suites and other areas in these venues. The whole one supplier/one invoice thing resonates with venue operators who already have a lot of vendors and moving parts.