Display Technology
Snead State taps Legrande | AV to transform ball fields into communication points, revenue generators
A community college in northeastern Alabama recently tapped Legrand | AV to expand its digital signage strategy and reaps more than just information sharing.
February 11, 2026 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
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Perplexity
ClaudeSnead State, a community college in northeastern Alabama serving approximately 2,700 students, is no stranger to the rewards of digital signage and displays. Its main campus is home to digital screens offering wayfinding as well as event and marketing information.
But it was a very different scenario on the adjacent baseball and software fields — neither were part of the college's digital communication network.
The scenario effectively left a big vacuum in terms of engagement with campus visitors and team fans given the inability to share information on events, services and programs as well sell ads to sponsors seeking to reach that audience.
There was no structure in place which meant no location to mount a digital screen or display. The fallback and only "signage" available were banners. It was time to change the ancient method of advertising and information sharing.
The challenge to expand the digital network
So Andrew Higgins, the college's IT director, went searching for a solution. He knew installation logistics would be a big hurdle, as would running power and data wires from a nearby building. While there was a perfect location for a digital screen there was concrete and walkways in the pathway.
The college had worked with Legrand | AV, which designs and manufactures electrical, data and AV solutions, in the past, and a sales rep had recently sent information on new and upcoming products.
One happened to be the Chief Velocity Outdoor Pedestal System. It's a modular outdoor digital signage pedestal mount that supports Samsung and LG 55" outdoor displays. Its allows for single, double or triple displays.
"I asked for more information [on the pedestal system and he [the sales rep] and I discussed using it to fill the digital signage void at the baseball and softball fields," Higgins said in an email interview.
The Chief Velocity Outdoor Pedestal System is designed specifically for demanding outdoor environments, which makes it an ideal solution for exterior digital signage, Megan Shafer, product manager at Legrand | AV, said in an email interview.
"Its outdoor-rated construction shields displays from both theft and vandalism, and it includes secure hardware to protect all essential components. Built to endure harsh conditions, the pedestal is wind-rated up to 140 mph and engineered to operate in temperatures ranging from –30°C to 50°C. Beyond durability, the mount's clean, modern aesthetic ensures that the display's content remains the center of attention," she said.
The system allows for easy update of menu boards or digital signage displays, from a single to a double or a double to a triple. This reduces long-term cost of ownership.
Making digital signage happen
Project talks began in early spring of 2025 and the IT department finished installation and had a digital signage display up and running by the end of that July.
As Higgins expected, the concrete walkways posed a hurdle in bringing data and power wiring from a nearby existing building to the install location.
"We had several slabs of concrete and concrete walkways that we did not want to have to demolish and redo. To solve the issue, we contracted with a contractor who was able mechanically bore under the existing concrete with minimal repair and cleanup afterwards. The cost to bore was substantially less than pulling up and redoing the concrete," he said.
He advised using a contractor to pour the concrete platform the Chief Velocity will rest on. Those projects posed the most work challenges.
The system's simplified French cleat display mounting provides fast installation, with lateral shift for zero bezel-to-bezel gaps.
"The installation and assembly of the Chief Velocity is very easy and does not require any special tools. I was looking at having a contractor assemble and install ours, but the instructions provided by Chief are very detailed and the install was simple. If you have any experience installing say networking equipment in a rack or AV experience like mounting a TV on a wall, you can assemble and install the Chief Velocity and the display yourself," Higgins said, adding, "if you have a couple of hours and two employees, save the money and let your team install it."
The product design integrated seamlessly with the campus' existing BrightSign content management system, providing ample space and mounting hardware in the lower pedestal for media players and components.
The unit was built for maximum serviceability; its components can be accessed and swapped out in minutes by simply removing a few screws, resulting in what Higgins refers to as "absolutely zero maintenance" aside from rare service needs.
Return on investment is multifold
Once installed, the display on the pedestal system turned the baseball and software field area into a dynamic communication point as well as revenue generator for the college.
Not only could the college now communicate with fans, guests, campus staff and students on everything from events to team news, it broadcasts sponsor advertisements and sports marketing for other college teams and other team events beyond the ball teams.
It's also playing a critical public safety role as it's tied into the campus weather alert system. The region where the campus sits is one of frequent big storms and tornadoes. The weather alert notifications provide a visual reference that complements audible warnings — guests can see immediately what type of alert is being issues.
About Judy Mottl
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