Wednesday, August 28, at a press conference, held in the Southern University System boardroom, Southern University and its athletic department opened a new chapter, with the unveiling of four new multi-media signs designed by Daktronics©.

The four signs include three state-of-the-art RGB-LED scoreboards to be installed at A.W. Mumford stadium, Lee-Hines Field and F.G. Clark Activity Center and one multicolor marquee that will welcome students, staff and visitors to Southern University. They range in size from the four-sided 16-feet by 20 feet board to be located in F.G. Clark to the 38-feet by 58-feet board to be placed at Mumford Stadium. The boards at both Mumford and Clark will feature ProStar© replay screens.

“… I love technology …” said Southern Athletic Director Floyd Kerr. “Slowly we are elevating our athletic department to where it deserves to be.”

Edward R. Jackson, chancellor of the Southern University System’s Baton Rouge campus concurred saying he knew this school was destined for greatness when he came here.”

This partnership with Daktronics is the result of numerous meetings with the Southern University Board of Supervision, the Athletic Department and the newly renamed Corporate Champions (formerly Corporate Sponsors), beginning with a vision by Larry McGhee, Director of Facilities Planning.

“The driving force was the Board of Supervisors … but Larry McGhee was the vision,” said Jackson.

“When McGhee brought the project to me, I did not think it would come to past so quickly,” said Kerr. “But, thanks to Rick Spelman, Director of Sports Marketing for Daktronics and our very dedicated corporate champions, come September 28, both the outdoor marquee and the scoreboard for Mumford will be ready.”

Even though the process to get the boards sponsored, designed and built seemed to move quickly to those on the outside, for those on the inside “the process was long and aggravating, we could not see any progress,” said Harrison Batiste, Board of Supervisor Chairman of Athletic Relations.

“Everything was so complex,” said Jackson. “September 28, I am going to close my eyes, open them and hope that everything is in working order.”

The athletic department currently has nine champions in place whose names will be featured on the boards, to help alleviate the cost of the signs, which over a 10-year period are expected to exceed four million dollars.

“I have renamed them champions, because they are the greatest,” said Kerr. “A champion is what everyone aspires to be.”

The sponsors include: All-Star Automotive Group, Bank One, Cingular Wireless, Baton Rouge Coca-Cola, COX Communications, Dodge USA, McDonalds and the Louisiana Lottery.

All sponsors present at Wednesday were presented with plaques featuring renditions of the four boards.

The students, faculty and athletes of Southern University are all equally excited about the new technology being brought to Southern University.

“I can’t wait to see our opponents face when they see our new scoreboards,” said quarterback Thomas Ricks.

“Every time I talk to a football player, he brings up the new scoreboards, they seem so excited,” said Ty-Shamika Flemming, a sophomore at Southern.

The press conference served a dual purpose as Southern head coach Pete Richardson presented his first pre-game notes of the 2003 season.

“Whoever designed the presentation has placed the Roger Cador (baseball), Sandy Pugh (women’s basketball coach) and myself in a tight predicament,” Richardson said laughing, as he opened his portion of the conference. “They have all three of winning our games on the pictures.”

“Today starts a new era in Jaguar athletics … a new season, new technology and a new outlook on our abilities.”

He went on to speak on his expectations for this weekend’s match-up against Tulane University and his expectations for the season.

“Every year our goal is to win our conference,” said Richardson. “But, this weekend’s game is very important … every time you have a chance to play up division-wise it’s important … it will be a tough contest but if we can contain their running back and concentrate on our running and passing game, we should be fine.”

All-American wide receiver Michael Hayes, who sat out last season with a torn ACL and saw limited pre-season practice time, is said to be ready to return to action.

“Hayes is about 95% ready, he and the rest of the team will be ready to perform this weekend,” said Richardson.

Kick-off for Saturday’s game is set for 2:30 p.m. is the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.