Klein ISD

Klein Independent School District, located in the Houston metro area, serves over 55,000 students across five high schools. Each of these schools uses the district’s main stadium as their home field, hosting 25 to 32 football games annually, plus varsity soccer, track meets, as well as graduation ceremonies.

With 8,000 seats and a demanding schedule, the stadium needed a display solution that could deliver reliability, flexibility, and long-term value. Twelve years after installing their original scoreboard, district officials realized it had run its course. “We were doing everything we could to keep it alive,” said Derek Koonts, assistant director of athletics.

They turned to Watchfire to design a replacement that would enhance the stadium experience while meeting strict space and functionality constraints. The district selected a split-model configuration: a vivid 10mm Watchfire LED videoboard mounted above a 4-foot-high Spectrum by Watchfire fixed-digit scoreboard with electronic team names and delay-of-game clocks.

With a residential neighborhood and shot put sectors bordering the scoreboard, Watchfire’s team worked creatively to maximize screen size without expanding the stadium footprint. The new display integrates seamlessly with upgraded stadium speakers and a new track timing system. During one of the largest track meets in Texas, attendees and coaches praised the professional look and real-time results.

Klein Memorial Stadium’s video control room also received a major boost with the addition of the Watchfire Action Package, which includes three wireless cameras and a Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera. They can now track the action and entertain the crowd with dynamic video angles and instant replays, all controlled via Watchfire’s Ignite Sports software.

Support has been exceptional. “When four panels went out, a technician replaced them and fixed two other issues on the spot. That kind of responsiveness makes all the difference,” Koonts said. With a local parts shop and service branch, Klein ISD avoids costly delays and logistics that plagued their former provider. “The experience with Watchfire is unmatched. They offer an exceptional product at a reasonable price and provide highly responsive service whenever we have a need.”

Klein ISD now has the system it needs to make selling advertising to local businesses possible, creating valuable revenue streams to offset the investment. Plans are already underway to install five additional Watchfire boards across the district, including two for baseball fields and new scoreboards in both main and secondary gymnasiums.