The Big Picture: A New Skyline in Spanos Stadium
By Mary McNally
Photo by Chris Leschinsky
Alex G. Spanos Stadium is home to a brand new three-story, state-of-the-art, multimedia scoreboard thanks to a $625,000 gift from alumni Albert (Al) Moriarty (B.S., Physical Education, 1957) and his wife, Patty, a couple with a long Cal Poly history.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002, Al played football all four years during college, starting as a freshman on the legendary, undefeated team of 1953. And on the wall of their home is a picture of Patty performing as a drum major in front of the old scoreboard – basically a couple of two-by-fours nailed together.
They are excited about the new scoreboard because they believe enhanced facilities will help attract top athletes, prospective students, community support – even tourism to the area.
Multimedia : Slide show of scoreboard construction
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“Look what we have to sell,” Al said. “We have a gold mine around here. We live in an area that’s beautiful, and Cal Poly has everything going for it: top academics, the arts, a well-rounded atmosphere and quality of life.”
Al is a big-picture thinker who takes a comprehensive approach to sports. In addition to training, he believes that superior athletes have to develop pride, discipline and confidence.
“You can be physically equipped, but to win you have to be mentally tough.” He also believes presentation is part of the game: “You gotta’ present yourself with class. Teams like that win."
Nowhere has that philosophy played out more than in Spanos Stadium. When he was first asked to serve on the Mustang Athletic Fund in 1992, one of the stipulations of his involvement was that Athletics would make an effort to build a bigger, better stadium. He has been a juggernaut advancing that concept ever since. At one point, he even had a friend build a model to help sway the planning committee toward an all-season stadium with a retractable roof.
When it came time for the west side to be developed, the budget didn’t allow for suites atop the bandstand. Al fought to include suites, especially since the revenue from them would generate an ongoing income stream. Now, he is proud to say there is a waiting list, and he admonishes the timid to “ think bigger than that.”
The new scoreboard fits the bill: big. The most significant feature is a videoboard for instant replays and fan out-takes; that alone measures 16 feet tall by 28 feet wide. There are revenue-generating sponsor panels, LED display panels for additional statistics, and a huge contingent of speakers. Collectively, it measures 52 feet wide and 52 feet tall, creating a new skyline in Spanos Stadium.
The scoreboard will serve football, and men’s and women’s soccer programs, Athletic Director Alison Cone said.
"I think it will increase the fan experience at games,” Cone said, “and the players will enjoy the things that happen with a video replay board. So it's very exciting."
In addition, the scoreboard will serve as a learn-by-doing lab. Interns from the Journalism and Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration departments will program the big board, develop entertainment and statistical content and create marketing campaigns for sponsors.
Video : Al Moriarty Remembers the Undefeated 1953 Mustangs
Never one to call it quits, Al has yet more ideas, this time for the east side of the stadium. The head of a financial services company he started while a junior here, he says, “Poly helped me get started; football helped me get my foot in the door."
Now, he says he plans to use his formidable skills amassing people and resources to complete the stadium enhancements, which would allow Cal Poly to compete at the highest level.
A born salesman, he doesn’t hesitate to tell people, “You’d be smart to get involved with Cal Poly.
" I’m a great forecaster and I see big things for this school.”
