Capital One Arena: Exterior

Total Pixels

3.2 million

Pixel Pitch

6-16 mm

Display Count

9

Square feet

4,385

SNA Displays supplied all of the display technology for the recent LED video makeover at the Capital One Arena (formerly the Verizon Center), home of the Washington Wizards (NBA), Washington Capitals (NHL), Washington Mystics (WNBA), and Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball (NCAA).

A unique video display installation, the project includes nine LED screens, all of which can be seen from a single point outside the arena. It is also part of a larger technological upgrade that includes the Capital One Arena Concourse and Etihad Lounge.

Nine LED Screens

The exterior renovation called for a total of nine LED faces, all essentially along one street outside the arena. Four large screens are elevated and wall-mounted and the remaining five screens can be found in the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metrorail station entrance/exit.

A viewer standing at the F Street / 7th Street intersection can take in all of the LED screens at once.

Integration of Multiple Display Technologies

A key feature of the Verizon Center project is the use of multiple LED display technologies. The property's owner, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, had the project designed with the four different technologies, and content can be fully integrated throughout the displays.

LED and ThruMedia

For six of the nine screens, SNA Displays provided its signature LED product line. However, three different types of technologies are used, including 6mm, 8mm and 10mm pixel pitches. All LED displays utilize surface-mount device (SMD) technology.

In addition, the project includes a pair of main screens at the corner of F Street and 7th Street, each built with THRUMEDIA™ LED technology. THRUMEDIA is SNA's transparent LED video display line of products, which provide high-quality video but also allows for "seeing through" the display to a building's façade given the appropriate content. Each display is 21'0" high by 40'4" wide.

Metrorail Digital Signage

As part of the project, SNA provided five screens at one of the entrances/exits to D.C.'s Metrorail system. Though relatively small, these displays employ extremely tight pixel pitches as low as 6mm, providing for very high-resolution signage.

7th Street Mirrored Digitals

Mounted to the west wall of the Verizon Center at the arena's 7th Street entrance are two 10 mm displays. These screens – both featuring a 160-degree tilt for added effect (and viewing experience) – mirror each other on either side of the entrance door. At 720 pixels high by 1536 pixels wide, these are the highest-resolution displays in the Verizon Center's digital makeover.