The largest video scoreboard in NCAA Division II is coming to St. Joseph on Thursday.

The scoreboard is being transported from Corona, California, via 10 flatbed trailers. It left the west coast on Monday and will arrive on campus on Thursday. 

According to Missouri Western Director of Athletics Kurt McGuffin, the scoreboard is part of the $7.9 million Spratt Stadium renovation project. A large part of the scoreboard funding came from Steve Craig, founder and CEO of Craig Realty Group and benefactor of the Craig School of Business at Missouri Western. 

The $2.6 million scoreboard structure is 78 feet tall and 138 feet wide. The scoreboard itself boasts a 2,500 square foot display and will have its debut on September 1st, when Griffon Football hosts Nebraska-Kearney. 

McGuffin said the scoreboard is the final piece of the stadium project. 

“I think as you go to more and more sporting events, other than what’s on the field, what’s being played, the experience factor also comes about by the sound system and the scoreboard – the video board – that can bring highlights and bring a little more experience to the whole sporting event or if you have a concert, ” McGuffin said. “So I think that’s a big piece and more and more Division II schools are getting them and it was just a thing that we needed to add. We didn’t expect it to be this big, but when you have a donor step up like Mr. Craig, it ended up being a pretty big ordeal.” 

McGuffin said the scoreboard will be pieced together on the structure and the project is slated to be finished at the end of next month.

A celebration and press conference will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Spratt Stadium Hall of Fame Room which is on the second floor of Spratt Memorial Stadium.