Football fans in Atmore have something new to look forward to when the Escambia County High School Blue Devils take the field this fall. A large new video board is being installed on the south end of Herbert Barnes Stadium, with school officials confirming the project is on track to be fully operational before the opening kickoff of the 2026 season.
The Escambia County Board of Education gave the green light for the project back on Feb. 26, 2026, approving the winning bid for the new display. Since then, crews have been working through the offseason to get the equipment installed and wired ahead of the fall sports calendar.
What the New Display Will Look Like
According to Escambia County Schools Properties Manager Shaun Goolsby, the new structure will stand roughly 30 feet tall, with a video screen measuring approximately 16 feet by 20 feet. That puts the board in line with the kind of large-format displays increasingly common at high school stadiums across south Alabama, giving fans, players and coaches a clearer view of instant replays, live game video, statistics and in-game messaging.
Topping the structure will be a sign identifying the home turf, reading “Escambia County High School; Home of the Blue Devils,” a detail that will make the new board as much a piece of school branding as a piece of game-day technology. Below the main screen, the design includes several 4-by-4-foot advertisement panels, which are expected to give local businesses and community sponsors a visible presence at Blue Devils home games.
Not Forgetting the Other End of the Field
The upgrade isn’t limited to the south end zone. Goolsby noted that the existing scoreboard on the opposite end of Herbert Barnes Stadium will remain in place, but it is being refurbished so that it looks new alongside its more high-tech counterpart. That means fans attending games this season should see two updated displays framing the field, rather than one new board standing out against older equipment.
Behind-the-Scenes Work Nearly Complete
Installing a video board of this scale requires more than mounting a screen. Crews have also been handling the electrical and fiber-optic infrastructure needed to power the display and connect it to the systems that will run video feeds, graphics and sponsor content during games. That wiring work was expected to wrap up shortly after the announcement, clearing the way for testing and calibration before the season opener.
What It Means for Atmore and Escambia County
High school football is a cornerstone of Friday nights in Atmore, and stadium upgrades like this one tend to resonate well beyond the players on the field. A modern video board can enhance the experience for families, alumni and visiting teams alike, while also creating new opportunities for the school system to highlight student achievements, announcements and community messages during games and other stadium events.
For Escambia County High School, the timing lines up neatly with the start of the 2026 football season, giving the Blue Devils a fresh look at Herbert Barnes Stadium as they open a new chapter at home. School officials have not announced a specific unveiling event, but with installation and infrastructure work nearing completion, the new board is expected to be ready when the stands fill up this fall.