THE SRU is to invest in permanent giant screens at either end of Murrayfield in an effort to improve the stadium's match-day experience.
The state-of-the-art TV screens are described as the biggest of their type in Scotland and said to create a bigger screen area per seat than exists at Wembley, Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, which also has two screens at either
end of the ground.
They will cost "a six-figure sum" and force the SRU to lose an estimated 600 seats, reducing the capacity to just over 67,000; the SRU is now working to accommodate debenture holders who will be affected behind the posts in the lower north and south stands.
Gordon McKie, the SRU chief executive, stated: "We have decided to invest in two permanent screens to improve the match-day experience for supporters at Murrayfield and also to enhance the world-class facilities that we have at Murrayfield – facilities that play a key part in attracting major events to Edinburgh and Scotland.
"We have hired big screens for many events at Murrayfield over the years but the size and positioning of these screens (erected in the North and South tunnels] was never ideal. Big screens are now an absolutely integral part of modern professional sport, especially when you consider in a rugby context the drama of a referral to the video referee."
The screens will cover 60 square metres – more than double the size of the screens hired at the start of last year's RBS Six Nations Championship – and are to be supplied by the ADI Group, who operate screens at Manchester United, Aston Villa and Everton as well as racecourses Ascot, Aintree and Cheltenham, and the England and Wales Cricket Board. The SRU is planning to have them in place in time for the first international of the season, against New Zealand on 8 November, and McKie clearly believes the outlay will be recouped by attracting bigger crowds not only to rugby matches, but other events, such as Rugby League's 'Magic Weekend', staged before the Scottish Cup finals day, Heineken Cup final and Emirates Sevens in May, with the union also bidding to bring an American football 'NFL' match to Scotland.
How debenture holders affected by the screens react is still unknown as the SRU have just begun to contact them. Michael Scouler is one supporter who has had seats in the upper south stand for over a decade, and while he is unlikely to be affected he admitted: "I'd be concerned if I was in the lower stand.
"Overall, I think it's a very positive move. I've been to various stadia, in football and rugby, and these giant screens can add hugely to the atmosphere, particularly when big decisions are being adjudicated on. Generally, at Murrayfield, we tend to sit waiting through this awkward silence in the stadium knowing that people at home watching on TV will know far more than we do about what's going on, so hopefully that will change.
"But the SRU have to sort out debenture holders and simply writing to say 'here's another seat' wouldn't do it for me. After all the years I've had a debenture and supported the team, through good times and bad, I'd like to be sure I wasn't suddenly being shifted to somewhere that would compromise my view. It would be difficult to provide that assurance in a letter, so I'd also like to sit in the stadium physically and know I still had a clear view."
McKie is aware of the concerns he faces from people who forked out thousands of pounds years ago for the right to watch the game from behind the posts. He added: "We've thought long and hard about where the new screens will be located and clearly visibility for supporters was a major consideration, alongside safety which will always be paramount. We have written to debenture holders whose seats may be affected explaining the rationale behind our approach and we are looking to ensure that we find an alternative seat for these most loyal supporters that they find acceptable."
After the Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Tests against New Zealand and South Africa (15 November), the screens will be available for Edinburgh games, as well as the Heineken Cup final, Rugby Football League's "Magic Weekend" in May. As part of the improvements a new scoreboard will also be erected in both the north and south stands.
The full article contains 752 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
