COLLEGE STATION – There was a time when Reed Arena officials declined to put a video board in the middle of the venue because it might impact the pomp of a Texas A&M graduation.

Those days are long gone, and this week A&M put the finishing touches on what the Aggies claim is the largest video board in an on-campus arena, replacing its already sizable one that has been in place for years. The longest sides of the new video board are about 24 feet by 42 feet, according to A&M. The end boards are about 12 ½ feet by 21 feet, and all offer high definition viewing.

Or as it's described on Twitter by Texas A&M athletics, "The largest on-campus video board in all of college basketball."

The first offering for fans comes at 11 a.m. Friday morning, when Sam Houston State faces Texas State in the Texas A&M Invitational. A&M is scheduled to face SHSU at 6:30 p.m. Friday, as well, in the Aggies' season opener.