The Fairfax County school board elected to postpone the previously scheduled vote on Jan. 26 for the decision of FH Furr purchasing the naming rights to McLean’s football field, a decision that clouded supporters of the proposal in uncertainty as to whether or not it would pass.

“FH Furr has been a sponsor of McLean athletics for years, and they’re willing to give us $25,000 a year for the next ten years for the naming rights to our stadium,” said McLean director of student activities Greg Miller, “and that $250,000 total over the next ten years will allow our boosters club to take out a loan and purchase three brand new scoreboards- one for the stadium, and one for both baseball and softball.”

The new scoreboards have been long anticipated at McLean, whose current scoreboards have been in operation for nearly three decades and are now just barely functioning. However, being the first ever deal of its kind in county history, the stadium naming rights purchase has to be approved by the school board before any scoreboards can be acquired.

The scoreboards will allow for more in-game advertisements that will generate additional much-needed revenue for the athletics department, who make just $65,000 from annual ticket sales when the minimum cost for maintaining the department is close to $100,000.

Despite the vote’s postponement, Miller and booster club president Glenn Goldenhorn were permitted speaking time in the Jan. 26 meeting to lobby for the cause (see video).