Daktronics Installs New End Zone LED Display and Audio System at Gesa Field
2026-09-24 · via invidis
Washington State University debuted a new Daktronics video display and audio system at Gesa Field over the weekend, marking the start of the 2026 football season for the Cougars. The rollout is a reminder that large-venue LED and control systems remain a steady, if unglamorous, corner of the digital signage business alongside retail and DOOH work.
The centerpiece is a new east end zone display measuring 42 feet high by 101 feet wide (12.8 by 30.8 meters) with a 10-millimeter pixel pitch. Daktronics says the board can handle live video, instant replays, statistics, game information and sponsor messaging, which is standard fare for a display of this size and role.
A 10mm pixel pitch is on the coarser end for a board this large, which fits typical viewing distances in an end zone at a college stadium rather than a closer-proximity concourse or club display. The announcement does not give a total resolution or say whether the board is a straight LED wall or curved, nor does it mention refresh rate or brightness specifications.
Audio and control layer
Alongside the display, Daktronics mounted a new point-source audio system above the board. The company says it redesigned the system specifically to improve coverage throughout the seating bowl, calling out areas historically affected by the athletics building in the west end zone, including the press box, clubs and suites. No details on speaker count, wattage or manufacturer partner for the audio hardware are included in the release.
Washington State also received Daktronics' Show Control system, which the company describes as tying together display control, video processing, data integration and playback for game-day production. This is Daktronics' standard production layer for its stadium and arena installs, and it positions the school to run more complex live-production workflows than a simple playback loop.
Daktronics Creative Services is providing a custom content package for home games and other events at the venue, which is typical for these turnkey stadium deals: the hardware sale comes bundled with an ongoing content relationship rather than a one-time install.
Context
Washington State has used Daktronics audio systems at Gesa Field for roughly two decades, so this reads as a long-term customer upgrade cycle rather than a competitive win against a rival vendor. The announcement does not disclose contract value, installation timeline, or whether additional displays elsewhere in the stadium (such as ribbon boards or the west end zone) were part of this project or are planned separately.
For operators tracking the sports and entertainment venue segment, this is another data point in Daktronics' continued dominance of college athletics AV upgrades, an area where it competes primarily with Anthem Sports and, less directly, ANC and other large-format LED integrators.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from invidis for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
Washington State University has unveiled a new end zone display and sound system at Gesa Field in Pullman. Daktronics also supplied the controls and content package for game-day production.
Washington State University has unveiled a Daktronics video display and audio system at Gesa Field, home of the Cougars football team. The upgrades debuted over the weekend as part of the stadium’s 2026 season.
The east end zone display measures 42 feet high by 101 feet wide (12.8 by 30.8 meters) and has a 10-millimeter pixel pitch. It can show live video, replays, statistics, game information and sponsor messages.
Daktronics mounted a new point-source audio system above the display. The company said it redesigned the system to improve sound throughout the seating bowl, including areas affected by the athletics building in the west end zone, such as the press box, clubs and suites.
Washington State also received Daktronics’ Show Control system, which brings display control, video processing, data integration and playback together for game-day production. Daktronics Creative Services will provide a custom digital content package for home games and other events.
The university has used Daktronics audio systems at Gesa Field for roughly 20 years.