Vanderbilt playing 2023 season with temporary, makeshift scoreboards due to stadium renovation
Vanderbilt football has an interesting setup with its scoreboards entering the 2023 season, to say the least. FirstBank Stadium is undergoing renovations and construction is still in progress in both end zones, causing the Commodores to put up a temporary video board to make do before the permanent one is installed.
A first look at the scoreboard emerged on Twitter ahead of Vanderbilt’s season opener. It appears to be held up by two construction cranes and is “similar in size” to what the official scoreboard will be according to The Tennessean. You can view photos of the makeshift scoreboard below.
There are some concerns with how the scoreboard will hold up. A little more than an hour before kickoff against the Rainbow Warriors, word emerged that lightning had been detected in the area and fans were being evacuated from the stadium.
With windy conditions and clouds covering the Nashville sky, video surfaced of the scoreboard swaying from side to side. That has understandably caused some to question just how safe it will be to play under the current setup.
The scoreboards aren’t the only thing that will be affected by the ongoing renovations at Vanderbilt’s stadium. The capacity has also been cut down by nearly 12,000, going from 40,350 to 28,500. Additionally, the team will use locker rooms at McGugin Center to dress for the game and will use the baseball team’s pitching lab, located underneath the stands, for in-game meetings.
For the visiting team, temporary accommodations have been across Natchez Trace from FirstBank Stadium. There they will have locker rooms equipped with bathrooms, showers and air conditioning.
Construction will continue to take place throughout the season Monday through Friday. Ahead of Vanderbilt home games, the construction crew will convert the stadium to its gameday setup on that Friday.
The Commodores are reportedly hopeful that portions of the north endzone construction will be finished before the 2024 season.
Vanderbilt-Hawaii kickoff delayed due to inclement weather
The kickoff of the Vanderbilt vs. Hawaii football game in Nashville, Tennessee has officially been delayed on Saturday night, according to the SEC Network. The Vanderbilt athletics Twitter page released a statement at 6:14 p.m. ET notifying fans of lightning being detected within an 8-mile radius of FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.
No start time has been announced yet.
The original kickoff time for Saturday night’s contest was slated for 7:30 p.m. ET. As of 6:48 p.m. ET, fans were not being allowed in the stadium due to the inclement weather. The Vanderbilt Twitter page also let fans know that the Star Walk would not occur on Saturday night.