You know what they say "Everything's bigger in Texas." Seriously though, I live in San Antonio and I just drove through there this weekend and I caught a glance of the display. I was amazed at the new 70 inch Tvs, but this takes the cake. I'm not sure why people are complaining though. Anyone who has been any where near down town Austin knows the place is cluttered and offers no type of country, open space views. I can't see why this could affect anything in any way. Plus it was put up to make up for the loss of the scoreboard removed form the North end to make room for additional seating. The large screen allows clear view for everyone located anywhere in the stadium (and the state :) ).

I want to say there's such a thing as "too big," but I'm sure I can be convinced if we can manage to hook up an XBox to that thing. :)

I've never been to Texas, but it does seem like they're carrying the tradition of "everything's big in Texas", Lupe!! This does seem too large of a scoreboard, but it just sounds so cool!! Eight million dollars is a lot of money though. While I'm glad that we're technologically advancing stadiums, I can't help but wonder why we're not using money to help students get more technology into their schools?

When I was at Texas I had my own Sun server to work on as did every other computer science student. It was not until I joined the ranks in the commercial world that I found out what it was like to not have a ton of computing power.

The 80-foot billboard to which that Austin-American Statesman reader is referring is not the same billboard as the one at Memorial Stadium. Memorial Stadium is just off of I-35 near downtown. Highway 71 is way out in the country. (I'm curious what billboard THAT one is, though!)

For schools, I assume you mean grade-schools...In which case you are cracked. Money earned by the university football team should not go to schools. There is no rational argument that can convince me this money should have gone to school technology projects. The Longhorn football team brings in a lot of cash to the university. The only thing I can see would be to make sure the university had proper technology in their colleges. But I know Texas has a very good state college system, so I doubt there is any serious need. Perhaps lower tuition a bit for undergrads? But for schools? Not one bit should go to schools. Pay your taxes, do not itemize your deductions, pay more taxes, and make donations if you want to help your local school.

Thanks to Scott for pointing out the writer's error in quoting that Statesman.com blog. I live in Austin, and I've heard that billboard near Bastrop is a scrolling marquee that really does detract from the landscape....unlike our new scoreboard. However, the Godzillatron (I'm glad the nickname caught on!) IS bright enough to light up pretty much all of UT-Austin's campus. Recently, they've been doing some color-testing, and every night the whole staduim (and all nearby buildings) are lit up blue...then green...then red...then white...it's amazing! In other staduim upgrades, LED billboards and banners have been installed around the sidelines and there's a new clock in the North end zone, making the inside of DKR look more like an indoor staduim. As for money, I am confident that every single dime of the Godzillatron's cost was paid with championship money....the payoff was huge. There's no way the money could have been redistributed anyplace other than athletics - and chief is right: no need to redistribute, either. ps - they'll NEVER host a "movie under the stars night!" Even the Longhorn marching band is only allowed on the million-dollar grass for a few hours once a season, not counting game days....and even then they're all required to be barefoot. :)

Yes, thanks to Scott for pointing that out to me! Looks like I made an @ss out of you and me! It's been fixed. :)

So no one is allowed on the footbsll field? We are allowed on our field pretty much anytime the university is open and there isnt a game being played. But then again, there is anohter strech across the road that we cant ever walk on :-)

I'm by no means an authority, but I do know that DKR is almost never, if ever, open on days when there's no game being played--certainly never to the general public. Prior to this past weekend's season opener, almost no one was allowed inside, even for pics of the Godzillatron...glimpses from certain strategic points on campus were all most of us could get. Carl, I'm trying to figure which university you attend that's so, um, "unconcerned" about it's football field....based on the "no walking on the grass" remark, I'm guessing A&M? :)

As usual, another exageration from the folks in Texas... Godzillatron, while impressive, is not the largest HD stadium screen in the Western Hemisphere or even the U.S.... That honor goes to the new scoreboard at Miami's Dolphins Stadium, built by the same company. It IS the biggest screen in collegiate sports, however.

Actually, Chris, it's all true. Godzillatron measures 134 feet by 55 feet, currently the largest in the WORLD...370 square feet larger than that of the Miami Dolphins. Even the Miami Herald admits it: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/15385436.htm

TV screens are measured diagonally not by surface area... ex.. A 25" tv is bigger than a 19" tv... Diagonally The Longhorns scoreboard is 144 ft. While the Dolphins' measured 145.. Thus being larger..That suux that those japanese fags made one thats like 200+feet wide.. But Miami still has the #2 spot.

I am a percussionist in the Longhorn Alumni Band (LHAB) and participated at Half-Time of the U.T. vs Kansas State Game. I would like to know who operates the Godzillatron and if the half-time performance that appeared on the Godzillatron was taped, I would very much like to purchase copy.

Respectfully,

Danny Gonzales
LHAB