Ohio State is turning the Schottenstein Center into a full-on LED showpiece, with more than 7,200 square feet of new display space and nearly 64 million pixels headed into the arena, university officials announced Friday. The new center-hung video board is now more than three times the size of the old one and packs four high-resolution faces, plus underbelly screens pointed at fans sitting courtside. Work on the system is slated to wrap by September, ahead of the 2026-27 basketball and hockey seasons, following a full audio replacement completed earlier this year.
According to a release from Ohio State Athletics, the upgrade is designed to deliver sharper visuals and more flexible content that keeps fans locked into the action instead of squinting at the scoreboard. Athletic director Ross Bjork said, “We’ve seen how electric the atmosphere at the Schottenstein Center can be,” and the department framed the overhaul as a way to deepen that energy and immersion throughout games and events. Daktronics was tapped to manufacture and install the LED systems, while Anthony James Partners handled planning and design.
What Fans Will See
The new center-hung structure features four continuous convex LED faces that wrap the main board, with extra underbelly displays aimed at the benches and floor-level seats so fans close to the court are not left guessing what just happened. Around the bowl, the 360-degree ribbon boards are getting a serious glow-up, expanding in height from 16 inches to 36 inches.
That extra real estate translates into a big pixel jump. Ribbon boards climb from roughly 400,000 pixels to more than 2.6 million, upper-level corner boards increase to about 1.2 million pixels, and 43 new vomitory displays will be added across the lower and upper bowls, as reported by WSYX/MyFox28 Columbus.
Audio Overhaul
The video upgrade comes on the heels of a comprehensive sound system replacement that retired the arena’s original, roughly 27-year-old setup. The AV project, designed by Anthony James Partners and integrated by C.V. Lloyde, brought in a DiGiCo Quantum225 front-of-house console, new line arrays and an Adamson PA to deliver clearer, more even audio for both concerts and games, according to FOH. Engineers also tucked key support infrastructure high above the court to help smooth out coverage across the roughly 20,000-seat bowl.
Coaches say the combined sound and screen makeover should make the Schott feel louder, tighter and tougher on visiting teams. “When the Schott is rocking, it’s one of the best places to play in college basketball,” men’s coach Jake Diebler said in the university release. Season tickets are on sale now, and Ohio State says LED installation is scheduled to be finished by September in time for the 2026-27 men’s and women’s basketball and men’s ice hockey seasons, per Ohio State Athletics.
