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Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots hope their new offense makes as striking of a first impression as the record-breaking video board officials unveiled Tuesday.
Officials touted the new video board, which is part of a $250 million renovation to Gillette Stadium, as the largest outdoor stadium video board in the country.
It measures 22,200 square feet (370 x 60), features a curved radius, and includes 20 million pixels. All told, it measures almost half an acre.
“We wanted something big. Once you start designing it, the curved radius, and you start doing the math — we were right there to be the largest outdoor video board in North America,” said Jim Nolan, chief operating officer of Kraft Sports + Entertainment. “So, we said, ‘let’s make sure it is.’
“We have this large blank canvas now to provide more content for our fans.”
Nolan said the overall renovation is on track to be completed for the Patriots’ regular-season home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 10 — a challenging initial test for quarterback Mac Jones and new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien as the Patriots look to rebound from an 8-9 season in 2022.
Officials toured reporters through the stadium renovation — which includes a 218-foot-tall lighthouse with a 360-degree observation deck at the top — on Tuesday.
The work began in January of 2022 and is the largest singular investment owner Robert Kraft has made in the privately financed stadium since it opened in 2002.
The video board is five times the size of the one it replaces.
“It gives us an ability to have an interactive and immersive experience for our fans, something we haven’t seen,” added Jen Ferron, chief marketing officer of Kraft Sports + Entertainment.