Fair Play Scoreboards
 | |
| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Video Display |
| Founded | Des Moines, Iowa |
| Headquarters | Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines, United States |
Key people |
John Long Chairman Michael R. Mulcahy, CEO Angela D. Toppi, CFO, Executive Officer |
| Products |
Sports Venue Displays Display Marquees Sports Scoreboards Variable Message Signs Display Control Systems |
Number of employees | about 1700 |
| Website | www.fair-play.com |
Fair Play is a company that manufactures scoreboards, video boards, and electronic displays. Fair Play is a subsidiary of Trans-Lux electronic displays.
History
Fair Play was born in 1934 after the company founder Elmer Foster saw his basketball team lose in the final seconds of the game. He created a basic scoreboard with a watch in the center to keep time and numbers that he held on a nail.
In 1997, the company merged with Trans-Lux Corporation of Norwalk, Connecticut.[1]
Sports That Use Fair Play Products
Fair Play also manufactures multipurpose scoreboards (i.e., suitable for two or more sports, such as football and baseball), as well as portable scoreboards and timing devices.
Current Scoreboard Controllers
Fair Play introduced a new line of scoreboard controllers two years ago with a new technology. FP calls this "MP-70/50/30."
The MP-70 controller is used to control larger scoreboards. This controller also has a handswitch on the back, and the ability to use Foul Memory (in basketball, that has the controller keep track of player fouls) and other little features.
The MP-50 controls smaller scoreboards and is most typically used for baseball since there is no need for a hand switch.
Both controllers run by using keypad inserts. Instead of having one control do only one sport, keypad inserts let one control do all sports. The controllers also feature a two-line 16-character display to prompt users to enter data and allow them to review data entry.
Previous Controllers
Fair Play's older controller, called the MP-69, was large and also had a two-line sixteen-character display. This controller operated all sports using 28 buttons, with many of them serving multiple functions.
The SP-69 was FP's older controller to control basketball statistic panels, which showed the player number, points and fouls.
Message Centers
Fair Play manufactures message centers and uses ProLine to control them and ISE Write II to control smaller ones.
Recent partnerships
Fair Play recently bought American Sign and Indicator scoreboards.
Miscellaneous Equipment
Fair Play also offers a variety of other sports equipment like:
- Possession indicators
- Pitch Speed Indicators
- Play clocks
- Shot timers
New Technology
In about 2000 Fair Play updated its product lines, with all scoreboards being equipped with LEDs (or Light-emitting diodes) in them. Now Fair Play's indoor scoreboards have a bar LED display, while the outdoor scoreboards have individual LED clusters.Template:Fair-play.com
References
- ↑ Trans-Lux Corp. History Archived May 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.