Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facilities Sponsorships topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Santa Fe ISD weighs sponsored scoreboards to fund new athletic displays
Summary
District staff described a six-year sponsorship plan with PowerAd to finance two new baseball/softball scoreboards, with the vendor financing boards upfront and keeping portions of sponsorship revenue until costs are recovered; trustees raised concerns about advertising’s visual impact and asked staff to continue exploring options.
The Santa Fe ISD board heard a staff presentation on July 20 about a potential six-year agreement with sponsorship firm PowerAd to finance new baseball and softball scoreboards through advertising sales.
Staff member Chris Wheeler told trustees that under the proposed arrangement PowerAd would finance and sell sponsorships; the district would pay for installation, maintenance and warranty costs and would receive revenue shares ‘‘60% on gold sponsorships, 50% on other connected sponsorships and 35% of sales through the national partner platform’’ until the boards were paid off. Wheeler said the boards he priced are non-video LED-style displays at about $24,654 each with installation near $11,000 per board; he estimated the two-board project at roughly $60,000 and said a replacement video board would cost about $190,000.
Trustees asked detailed questions about who assumes the sales risk; staff clarified that PowerAd would solicit and sell sponsorships, while the district would provide a list of potential local contacts. Board members pressed on the aesthetic trade-offs of advertising on campus facilities, saying fence banners and vendor nights could draw attention away from school branding. One trustee said he ‘‘didn’t like the idea of our entire facility being covered with advertisements,’’ while others encouraged staff to keep seeking ways to reduce the district’s upfront cost.
Staff compared the proposed fencing ads to existing booster-club and education-foundation signage at the football stadium and said the fencing would be standardized with district colors and language such as ‘‘proud sponsor of Santa Fe ISD.’’ No motion was taken: the item was presented for information and trustees generally directed staff to continue exploring the option and report back.
What happens next: Staff indicated they will continue negotiations and vetting of vendors and return with contract details; any final agreement would require board approval in open session.
