Boardman High School Spurs Student Creativity and Community Pride with Watchfire Videoboards

Boardman High School in Boardman, Ohio, has transformed its athletic facilities into hubs for student learning, school spirit, and community connection with indoor and outdoor scoreboards and videoboards from Watchfire.

The most visible upgrade sits at Spartan Stadium on the Boardman High School campus. The stadium hosts football, soccer, and track and field events and accommodates up to 7,500 fans. To update the venue, the school installed a striking scoreboard and LED display combination featuring a 34-foot-wide by 16-foot-tall, 10mm videoboard mounted above a four-foot-tall traditional scoreboard that spans the entire width of the display.

This low-profile scoreboard design is one of the fastest-growing scoreboard configurations in high school sports, offering the clarity of a digital display with the reliability of traditional scoring. The result is a centerpiece that captures every big play while delivering a professional game-day experience for Spartan fans.

Inside the gymnasium, Boardman added another Watchfire videoboard, a 3.9mm display designed for close viewing and crisp indoor visuals. The installation also includes two traditional fixed-digit scoreboards with six-player statistics panels used for basketball, volleyball, and wrestling.

While the technology itself is impressive, its biggest impact may be felt in the classroom.

Both videoboards operate using Watchfire Ignite Sports software, which allows students to design and manage the content displayed during games and events. That responsibility falls to the Boardman Schools Television Network, known as BSTN, an award-winning student-run program that produces live broadcasts and social media-ready content.

Students in BSTN operate professional-grade cameras, switching equipment, editing systems, and now videoboard production tools. The new displays have expanded their creative possibilities and introduced them to another facet of live event production.

David Battaglia, BSTN film and production manager, said the videoboards have opened new opportunities for students while seamlessly fitting into the program’s existing workflow.

“We’ve added a whole other element,” Battaglia said. “We incorporated a fan cam this year to help the student section get more involved.”

The displays have quickly become a platform for student-produced hype videos, sponsor graphics, and live camera shots. With Watchfire’s color calibration technology, the cinematic videos created by BSTN students appear vibrant and polished, giving their work a professional presentation in front of fans.

“Having the Watchfire videoboard positively impacts our venue and students,” Battaglia said. “It adds a whole other level that other schools don’t have.”

The videoboard also helps ensure every fan stays connected to the action, even in a packed gym or stadium.

“We use our videoboard to share our live video production,” Battaglia said. “Everyone can see what’s going on during the whole game. We used it for our pep rally so everyone could see what was happening.”

For students involved in BSTN, the technology represents more than entertainment. It serves as a real-world training ground where they build technical and creative skills that translate directly into careers in broadcasting, filmmaking, digital media, and live event production.

The videoboards also strengthen the bond between the school and the broader Spartan community. From student-produced hype videos and sponsor recognition to live event coverage, the displays provide a platform for storytelling that celebrates the achievements of Boardman students both on and off the field.

With thousands of fans filling Spartan Stadium and the gymnasium throughout the year, the new Watchfire displays ensure the creativity and hard work of BSTN students are seen by the entire Spartan Nation.

In Boardman, the videoboards are not just scoreboards. They are classrooms, creative studios, and community gathering points all in one.