Sports Lighting Specs

Even though there won’t be much to see without good lighting, many people don’t realize how crucial selecting the right lighting system for a sports field can be.

Effective lights do more than illuminate the field. They also make for higher-quality broadcasts, provide optimal visibility during play, and allow stadium attendees to feel more comfortable with their surroundings.

There are also various lighting requirements for different competitive and professional sporting events to consider. Here, we break down some of the most important things to consider when choosing the best lighting for your sports field.

Illuminating the Field

Quite a bit can go into determining the best way to light up your field. A portion of that is considering player and spectator visibility and conditions for optimal video streaming and broadcasting.

Horizontal and Vertical Illuminance

Horizontal illuminance represents the lighting on the ground level. It creates a stable visual background against which one can discern players and objects. Vertical illuminance helps spectators identify players in every direction. Note that a vertical illuminance of around five feet matches up well to the faces of the players.

For non-broadcast events, an average horizontal illuminance of between 50-100 lux and 750 lux is recommended. Ideally, looking for the best ratio between the vertical and horizontal illuminance would be best for a well-balanced video broadcast.

Uniformity

This makes sure both players and spectators can make out every person and object on the playing field with equal visibility. For example, when lighting is not uniform, player details, balls, or field markings might be challenging to see from certain positions.

High uniformity is necessary for smooth and natural-looking scenes in video broadcasts or streaming, especially when considering HDTV availability.

Glare Restriction

When considering glare, it’s essential to look at it from the player perspective, the spectator perspective, and, when applicable, the camera perspective. Too much glare can make a field challenging to play or watch.

LED lighting has proven excellent at providing even lighting throughout an entire field while, at the same time, keeping glare to a minimum, this saving the eyes of players and attendees and the lens of cameras.

Shadow Restriction

It can distract players and spectators alike when the lighting all comes from one direction and casts shadows on the field. By spacing out the lights evenly, illumination comes from several directions, keeps shadowing down, and improves overall visibility.

Color Rendering

While your lighting system accurately reflects colors makes for a more pleasing viewing experience, it’s also an important consideration when dealing with video broadcasting. While some color distortion may be okay for some events, video broadcasting requires highly accurate color rendition.

As more venues switch to LED lighting, people find that LED lights can provide better color renditions that make video streaming pop, making for an overall improved experience.

Flicker

Traditional lights can flicker. LED lights do not.

For those reasons alone, an LED lighting system for your field is the way to go. Flickers can cause distractions for both players and viewers, and even a small amount of flicker can ruin a video broadcast.

Consistent Lighting As a Safety Consideration

There are some sports such as swimming, gymnastics, horse riding, skating, and bicycle racing in which consistent lighting is an absolute must as far as safety is concerned.

Even a brief, second-long lighting outage can lead to injuries. While rare, these sorts of things can happen with traditional lights. However, being more durable, long-lasting, and less vulnerable to environmental conditions, LED lights mean there would be a much lower chance of a lighting mishap.

Making sure you have a secondary power source adds to this assurance.

And the potential for injuries aside, if you’re broadcasting any sporting events from your field, any chance of inconsistent lighting can cause problems with your video feed.

Safe, Secure Lighting For Spectators

As much as lighting is vital for the safety of the players, it’s equally important for the spectators. The last thing you want to deal with is an accident in the stadium or seating areas because insufficient lighting caused someone to trip and tumble.

In addition to practical safety concerns, spectators feel more welcome and secure in an adequately lit venue. This ensures they return for future events.

Remember that some broadcasters may also require specific lighting requirements of the viewing area to show fan response and attendance.

Controlling Light Spillage

Stray light from outdoor sports lighting can disturb other people living, working, or traveling through the area. Ideally, you want to keep excess light from spilling out beyond your venue and causing a distraction to drivers or keeping the neighbors awake.

Remember that some communities may even have specific codes in place enforcing this.

Why Are AEON LED Luminaires the Best Choice For Your Field?

When it comes to durability, safety, illumination, and all the specifications required for broadcasting, AEON LED luminaires provide the very best solutions for any sport or entertainment event you may be hosting at your field or venue.

AEON LED luminaires command numerous advantages over traditional lighting and will save you both time and money while creating an optimal environment for your field.

Contact us for more details on how we can help the most with your lighting needs.