MONROE, Conn. — Masuk High School bought a video board for football games and other stadium events with money raised through digital ads, and now Board of Education members reached a consensus to allow special revenue funds to be used to pay the $124,358 difference needed to install it beside the scoreboard at Benedict Field.
Superintendent Joseph Kobza noted how there was always a commitment not to use operating expenses for the project. At the board’s May 18 meeting, he instead suggested borrowing the money from revenue funds with the understanding that any ad revenue generated from video boards would be used to pay it back.
Finance Director Ron Bunovsky will look into whether it is feasible to use the town funds and process in a memorandum of understanding.
Principal Steve Swensen, whose staff is working with Power Ad and has had success selling advertisements themselves, estimated the money could be paid back within two years.
Aside from the video board enhancing the experience of fans at games, families at graduations and those attending other events, with the ability for a video livestream, highlights, instant replays and graphics, Swensen said students will benefit from the experience of operating the system.
“We have kids who will take to this like athletes take to their sport,” he said. “Those are things kids can get hands-on real life experience doing.”
Swensen said at least two students would work on the computer at an event, while another uses the camera.
He said Newtown High School, which already has a video board, now has multiple cameras. “We would probably start small and just have one camera, and probably wouldn’t do instant replays the first year and stuff like that,” Swensen said. “It’s going to take our students time.”
When the press box was replaced, Swensen said it was made wider to accommodate more cameras one day.
In addition to opportunities to use the media equipment and software, Swensen said students will design ads for sponsors.
Watchfire will order a 14′ x 24′ video board with 10 mm video. Swensen expressed his gratitude to company representative Evan Walsh, a member of Masuk’s Class of 1997, for negotiating a deal for the district to pay 75 percent down ($101,049) and 12.5 percent ($16,841.50) in February 2027 and 12.5 percent February 2028 — all with zero interest.
National Sign Corporation is the company that will install it, according to Swensen. It will cost $39,450 for material and labor, $36,950 for the sign and truss and $13,450 for the installation.
“The board itself needs a 100 amp service and the power to the press box will not sustain that,” Swensen said. “Electrical is the biggest cost.”
The cost of increasing the amps is estimated at $70,000. Swensen said a lot will depend on whether Eversource Energy will be willing to work with the school. He said an added benefit to bringing in more power is it will allow Masuk to use lights for its middle field too.
“Did we get competitive pricing and see if another company could do the installation for less money?” Jack Testani, a board member, asked.
Swensen said he did not, adding ABC Sign, which installed the video sign in front of the school is no longer in existence, so National Sign took over the project.
Testani asked if there could there be another company that would install it for less money. Swensen said there could be, but National Sign installs Watchfire scoreboards at colleges and universities across the country, is familiar with the product, and has the facility to store the product in the interim of when it is delivered and installed.
“And as far as the manufacturer of the board itself, I have a $33,000 sign out in front of the school for $21,000, because of the connection to Masuk,” Swensen said of Walsh.
Greg Beno, a board member, asked if the video board is insured and Swensen said it is.
Fundraising
Swensen said the total costs for the board and installation is $294,582 and $170,224 has been raised or committed to, so far.
Diamond Sponsors include the Masuk All-Sports Booster Club and Better Homes and Gardens: Gaetano Marra Homes; Platinum Sponsors are Residential Waste Systems, Monroe Youth Football and Blooming Smile Dental; Gold Sponsors are Champagne Inspection Services, Northeast Generator and Solli Engineering; and Silver Sponsors include Canterbury Pediatrics, Mathnasium of Trumbull and BTX Global Logistics.
“These are the companies that signed on early to help us purchase the video board,” he said. “The video board cost $134,732. The upshot is it’s bought. It’s in production, so they’re making this video board. It is paid for and then some by these sponsors.”
Swensen said he probably got 75 to 80 percent of the advertisers of which the school receives 100 percent of the revenue from.
“Where Power Ad is helping us dramatically is some of these sponsors paid their entire sponsorship upfront, so it’s cash on hand,” he said. “Others signed on for a certain amount per year for X number of years, but the total sponsorships to purchase are over $151,000. This will get them recognition on the board.”
The Masuk All-Sports Booster Club also donated a new scorers table to the gym that has a digital screen on the front.
“There were only about two home basketball games when got the table,” Swensen said.
Masuk Athletic Director Brian Hourigan gave companies that already signed up to be digital sponsors for the stadium video board ads on the scorers table board at no additional cost as a perk.
“We started cycling through the ads at our basketball games,” Swensen said of stoppages in game action. “The first night he put these ads on the scoring table, we had people reaching out saying, ‘how do I become a sponsor and get my company on there?’ And that was just from minimal exposure.”
He said the school wants to grandfather the original advertisers in as a thank you and to make a push for more video ads.
Ongoing installation fundraising efforts include sponsorship levels of:
- Gold: four years, $5,000 up front, then $1,250 a year for four years
- Silver: three years, $3,900 up front, $1,300 a year for three years.
- Uranium: two years, $2,700 up front, $1,350 a year for two years
- Tungsten: one year, $1,400 up front
Laser-Tag-on-the-Go is committed to at least two years if not more, and JMLS Construction Services has expressed interest in being a sponsor, according to Swensen.
Masuk also has an Engraved Brick Campaign.
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This concept could be applied to indoor events as well. Could the wiring be set up with enough capacity to support another board for indoor events without having to redo or completely duplicate this work.