FAMU to receive football scoreboard from FSU

Jordan Culver | Democrat staff writer

FAMU's oft-malfunctioning — and sometimes inoperable — north end zone scoreboard at Bragg Memorial Stadium has been a source of trouble for years.

But courtesy of Florida State, the school is receiving a Christmas upgrade, .

Doak Campbell Stadium at FSU is undergoing several renovations, and is getting a new south-end zone scoreboard. The school's old scoreboard has been extracted and moved to Florida A&M, where it will be installed to replace the old scoreboard in the north end zone.

FAMU Athletic Director Milton Overton said the scoreboard was given to the university free-of-charge, though it will cost roughly $125,000 to install and program it. He said it will be in place before the Rattlers' first football game in 2016.

Overton thanked FSU Athletic Director Stan Wilcox and President John Thrasher for "their willingness to gift the scoreboard " to FAMU Athletics.

The scoreboard was taken down by Scott Thornton from Apogee Signs, according to FAMU Sports Information Director Vaughn Wilson. Thornton and his team are working to install it at Bragg.

"We hope this is the beginning of an enhanced relationship with FSU to bring maximum value to our collective fans," Overton said in a press release. "This also falls in line with Dr. Mangum's vision of best-in-class in all areas of our institution.”

Overton said the scoreboard agreement was the first in what he hopes will be many collaborations with Florida State. The two athletic directors are working to ensure home games for both schools don't fall on the same days.

"The on-going renovations to Doak Campbell Stadium provided Florida State Athletics an opportunity to work with Florida A&M athletics on some of its athletics priorities," Wilcox said, adding he and Overton recognized the opportunity and seized it.

"We will continue to look for opportunities to work together in the future."

Contact Jordan Culver at jculver@tallahassee.com or @Jordan Culver on Twitter.