Get a first look at the United Center’s new giant scoreboard

Fans attending Blackhawks and Bulls games this season at the United Center will be able to follow the action on a much bigger scoreboard.

Much, much bigger.

The new jumbotron, with 8,600 square feet of displays, debuted Sunday at the Blackhawks’ training camp festival scrimmage, captivating the general admission crowd. Stretching beyond the two blue lines, it’s four times larger than the outdated scoreboard that it replaced.

Although its much-advertised drop-down technology was not used in the scrimmage — the scoreboard panels will supposedly lower when the Hawks score, once that feature is up and running — the rest was fully functional.

The main screens showing the live camera feed and replays during stoppages are significantly larger and higher-quality than before, and the actual scoreboard portion no longer looks straight out of a 1970s suburban rink.

Still, many fans on social media mocked the undeniably plentiful percentage of the display used for advertisements.

During the pregame introduction, the wraparound panels above and below the main screen were integrated into the video presentation, but during play, they merely displayed sponsors’ logos. The white background behind those ads was so bright and similarly shaded to the white ice on the live camera feed that it did prove aesthetically frustrating at times.

The vivid brightness didn’t distract Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton, though, who afterwards said he was impressed by the new mammoth that’ll hang above him.

“No distraction, it’s good for everybody,” he said. “It’s nice to see what’s going on, [especially if] it’s on replay obviously, if you’re a fan. I can’t see a downside to it and obviously, again, they do things the highest end they can.”

The rest of Sunday’s game presentation — from the jersey-stitching pregame intro video to REO Speedwagon’s “Ridin’ the Storm Out” before the third period — was the same as in 2018-19 regular-season contests. Changes in those categories will likely debut at the Oct. 10 true season opener.

See more angles of the new scoreboard below:

Victor Hilitski for the Sun-Times

Victor Hilitski for the Sun-Times