About 2,000-square feet of digital commercial, academic and social potential could be coming to the UCF Arena pending approval from the Board of Trustees.
Wednesday, Sept. 28, the BOT will approve or disapprove the display of Mediamesh®, a Garage Media technology, on the face of UCF Arena, according to the BOT's agenda.
According to the agenda, "Mediamesh® is a technology that integrates digital imagery and color with metal fabric. The LED mesh display will become the premier messaging center on campus and will allow UCF to showcase its facilities, programs and students in larger-than-life form."
If approved, the Mediamesh® screen would be used commercially, academically and socially, according to the agenda.
Commercially, UCF-approved partners and advertisers would be able to advertise from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Potential advertisers include: Apple, Burger King, Southwest Airlines, Nike, Rockstar Games and 92 other major corporations.
The screen comes at no cost to UCF; installment and operating costs will all be covered by Garage Media, according to the agenda.
Estimated annual ad revenues with 100 percent ad sales at full utilization are projected at $2.1 million, according to the agenda.
Academically, the screen might be used to display the work of students in the graphic design, advertising or public relations fields. According to the agenda, the screen could also be used to distinguish award-winning students and colleges.
According to the agenda, the screen has a lot of potential socially. In addition to displaying announcements and promoting social events, the screen could be used to host Movies on the Plaza, a movie-screening event put on by the Campus Activities Board throughout the year. The screen could also be used to display away games and other athletic events.
Garage Media, whose headquarters are located in Hartford, Conn., partnered with Mediamesh® and A2aMedia to create outdoor media technology or "mediatecture" as it is referred to on the Garage Media website.
Mediatecture can currently be seen on the American Airlines Arena in Miami and on the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City.
According to the website, Mediamesh® is 80 percent more energy efficient than standard digital billboard technology as it doesn't require high energy cooling and ventilation systems.
SGA President Matthew McCann said the potential the screen has makes looking into it worthwhile.
"One of the greatest things about the Mediamesh® concept is it has so much potential…it can highlight different student activities, works and a lot of the things students come to UCF for," McCann said.
McCann also said that Movies on the Plaza is an event students have come to expect, but putting it together is a lot of work.
"This will help reach a larger population of students," McCann said. "It's just a cool experience to watch an entire movie on the side of a building."
For live-blog coverage of the BOT meeting, visit www.ucfnews.com Wednesday, Sept. 28.
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