Lake Travis ISD approves marketing plan for potential stadium video display

Lake Travis ISD trustees approved an agreement with Daktronics Sports Marketing at its regular meeting Nov. 13 that allows for market research and advertising sales in conjunction with the potential purchase of a video display board to be placed at the Lake Travis High School stadium.

According to the agreement, Daktronics must provide the school district with a minimum of $89,500 in presold advertising packages within six months. If the annual amount is not met, LTISD officials may terminate the agreement with no obligation to purchase the display board.

"For several months now we have researched this item extensively," LTISD Superintendent Brad Lancaster said. "[The agreement] simply gives us the authority to work with Daktronics representatives to sell advertising packages on the proposed video board."

The proposed video board is nearly 40 feet tall, 32 feet wide and features a Daktronics video display that is more than 17 feet tall and 30 feet wide. The full-color display offers 68 billion colors and can display text, graphics, logos and basic animation, according to the Daktronics website.

LTISD has not yet approved the purchase of the video display, but the agreement allows the school the flexibility to choose a payment plan. If the advertisement revenue is met, the district can choose to purchase the video display board for $436,508 and retain 85 percent of the advertising packages sold. The other choice lets the school district receive the display board at no cost; however, the district would retain only 60 percent of the advertising revenue.

"The board will re-evaluate its finance options once Daktronics has completed its market research and advertising sales," Lancaster said. "If enough revenue is generated, it may make more sense for us to purchase the display outright. At a minimum, Daktronics will install the video display at no cost to the district."

Regardless of which financing path LTISD chooses, it is important to note that the purchase and installation of the video board will not have a negative impact on ticket prices, student participation fees or on any program or service the district offers students, Lancaster said.