Student-run Daktronics video board brings revenue, training to Chippewa Falls

Booster Club and student media producers told the board that the Daktronics video board project—installed about a year ago—has become both an educational lab and a revenue stream.

"A lot of the students are taking a part of that... Revenue to date is 70,000 a little over 70,000. And we have commitments, from other organizations of about a 166,000," said a Booster Club representative, who summarized how advertising proceeds are allocated (10% to media-productions equipment; the remainder to booster-club support for student-athletes).

Student senior Kaylee Hageman described the hands-on experience for students: designing graphics, running live-stream cameras, operating the fan cam and participating in sales outreach and production. "It's all student based... most of the graphics up here have been made by students," Kaylee said, adding that the class provided opportunities to visit professional venues and learn technology used at major stadiums.

Booster Club presenters said about 62 students have been trained on operations, more than 50 businesses were contacted and 12 have made commitments. The group described next steps including expanded creative programming (movie nights, assemblies) and increased cross-class collaboration (marketing and accounting students supporting sales and financial tracking).

Board members praised the project as a student-education opportunity and discussed possible expansion (field installation) and student involvement in accounting and sales tracking.

The board received the update; no formal action on the video board was required that day.