Ohio State is making several upgrades to the Schottenstein Center this offseason in an effort to enhance the fan experience at Buckeye basketball and hockey games.
Ohio State is installing a new video board at center court of the Schott, more than 7,200 square feet of LED displays around the arena and a new audio system at the home of Ohio State men’s basketball, women’s basketball and men’s hockey.
The new video board at center court features over three times more square footage than the previous scoreboard, including “four high-resolution LED display faces configured in a continuous convex design, which will provide seamless coverage of game action and replays, significantly improving the overall in-venue viewing experience,” according to an Ohio State news release.
Ohio State shared renderings of the new video board in a news release on Friday.
Big things coming soon to the Schottenstein Center ️
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) July 17, 2026
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Other upgrades to the Schottenstein Center this offseason include:
- The addition of underbelly displays on the main scoreboard, positioned to serve courtside fans and team benches.
- New 360-ribbon boards around the arena, which have increased in size from 16 to 36 inches with an increased pixel density of 2.6 million (up from 400,000).
- New upper-level corner boards with a pixel density of 1.2 million (up from 100,000).
- 43 new vomitory displays throughout the upper and lower seating bowls, which “will provide continuity with the other boards and unify the viewing experience from everywhere in the arena.”
- A new audio system, replacing the Schottenstein Center’s original 27-year-old sound system “with a modern, performance-driven design that includes new line arrays, a new back-of-house audio system, mixing console, and support infrastructure located 135 feet above the court.”
The audio system replacement is already complete, while the video board installations will be completed by September, in time for the start of Ohio State’s 2026-27 basketball and hockey seasons. The Board of Trustees approved a $5.2 million budget for the upgrades last year.
Ohio State has struggled to fill the Schottenstein Center for most basketball games in recent years, and many Buckeye fans have longed for a return to St. John Arena or a new, more intimate arena. The upgrades this offseason, however, confirm that Ohio State basketball will remain at the Schottenstein Center long-term.
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and men’s basketball coach Jake Diebler believe this offseason’s upgrades will improve the environment for Buckeye games at the Schott.
“We’ve seen how electric the atmosphere at the Schottenstein Center can be”, Bjork said in a news release. “The last two men’s basketball games last year, the Michigan series for men’s hockey and the NCAA Tournament games for women’s basketball were prime examples of a great environment for the fans and the athletes and we want to continue to build on those experiences. The enhancements to the video boards will deliver sharper visuals, allow for more dynamic content, and provide greater connectivity to the action. We want the fans to feel immersed in every moment, from the time they walk in the door until the end of the game.”
“When the Schott is rocking, it’s one of the best places to play in college basketball,” Diebler said in the release. “The passion from Buckeye Nation is what makes those environments so great. We want to create as many of those opportunities as we can and the improvements to the video boards will not only enhance the in-venue experience but also help better connect our fans with the team.”
