What Lighting Options Are Used in Sports Stadiums?
We at Benwei Lighting are the go-to professionals for light poles and fixtures. We offer some important advice to assist you start your shopping process when specifically searching at lighting for stadiums, baseball diamonds, and arenas. There are various things to think about because stadiums, baseball diamonds, and arenas need quite precise lighting systems. Because the lighting is often under 60 feet in height, our expertise is in delivering lighting solutions for sports fields and stadiums at the middle school, high school, park district, and collegiate levels. Since their lighting structures are significantly taller, this is different from professional sports arenas and stadiums.
What Are the Prices of Outdoor Stadium Lights?
Stadium lighting is often expected to cost between $30,000 and $100,000. The size of the stadium and the level of illumination necessary, which affects the number of lights and light poles needed to efficiently illuminate the field and surrounding regions, can affect this amount. The price will vary based on the type of lights used as well; some, thanks to contemporary technical improvements, are substantially more efficient than others, potentially delivering savings during the lights' lifespan due to lower energy usage.
Types of Sports Stadium Lighting Metal halide lights
HID (High-Intensity Discharge) lights, have long been the standard option for sports lighting, but advances in LED lighting technology and price drops have made them more well-liked and energy-efficient, saving a lot of energy over their lifespan. Additionally, some LED lights weigh significantly less than older Metal Halide lights, which results in extra savings by lightening the burden on top of the light pole. [LED's greater lumen maintenance is its key benefit over Metal Halide. In contrast to Metal Halide bulbs, which lose 30–40% of their brightness within the first two years of use, LEDs do not require maintenance or replacement to maintain their brightness for many years. These factors have rendered Metal Halide technology almost useless and will cause it to completely disappear in the not too distant future.
Which Outdoor Stadium Lighting Style Is Best?
For the reasons outlined above, LED is the best option for stadium, field, and sporting event illumination. Compared to HID/Metal Halide lights of equal power, LEDs often save roughly 70% on electricity costs. LED lights don't require frequent replacement because they produce the same brightness year after year. The instantaneous turn-on of LEDs, particularly for sporting events or as field lighting, is another significant benefit. Metal halide lights take a while to start up, which can be disruptive during a power outage. LED lights have an instant on/off switch.
The fact that LEDs may glare less if constructed with the proper optics is by far the most significant difference between LED and HID and other lighting solutions. This is essential for athletic venue applications since too many lights shining on the turf can cause glare, which is uncomfortable for both athletes and spectators. Additional things to think about
1. As efficiency grows, the overall number of lights decreases (as lumens per watt per light increases). While 75 lumens/watt was considered acceptable in the early days of LED, 130 lumens/watt is currently the standard. This implies that fewer LED lights are required to complete the task because each light uses much less power while producing significantly more light.
2. Pay attention to the lighting (optics) design; various beams have various patterns. Additionally known as a distribution pattern. It all comes down to aiming the light that LED fixtures emit at the space you're illuminating. It depends on both the field's distance from the pole and its height.
3. The faster the installation process is, the less labor you will need to pay for. Take labor prices into consideration (buying kits often saves you time, money, and headaches). For instance: If you simply purchase LED lights, installation will cost money. Your contractor will only have to worry about attaching the light assembly to the pole if you choose lights that are pre-wired and prepared for installation on light poles, which will save you money on labor.
Note: Since metal halide bulbs are becoming obsolete, consider converting to LED lighting if you're replacing outdated stadium light fixtures but preserving the same pole. To save money on labor when comparing LED lights, be important to take into account how the lights attach to the existing poles. Since the majority of lights do not merely attach to poles out of the box, you might need to spend more money on the right brackets. Making the right attachment choice will help you save a ton of money and time.
Applications in specific sports fields
Baseball Field & Stadium Lighting
Particularly because players need a lot of light to chase such a small ball, lighting a baseball field with widely dispersed light is crucial. The size of the field must be taken into consideration first. Professional baseball fields could have entirely different dimensions and brightness specifications than the possible leisure field you're working with. If you have a few adjacent fields, you can share some of the poles to light up more than one field to save money. Since they don't need to be updated as frequently and have a lifespan of about 80,000 hours, LED lights are the preferred option for baseball fields. Extreme temperatures and weather conditions are not a problem for these lights, which also don't flicker. These fields typically require between 60 and 100 LED lights, but the precise number depends on the size of the baseball field and the required brightness. Little League grounds typically need 24–36 LED lights, whereas high school baseball and softball fields often need 30–42 LED lights.
More may be required for college and the workplace. On our website, you may purchase the 540,000 Lumen Power Bar Sports Light Package, which is ideal for baseball fields. This bundle includes everything you'll need to attach to the light pole and is pre-wired to save on labor costs.
soccer pitch illumination
Similar to choosing the right array of lights for a baseball field, there are crucial procedures you should take while choosing lights for a soccer field. You must first consider the field's size and the necessary brightness level. Make sure this step is done accurately because measurements can be challenging. For comparison, a typical soccer pitch is 360 feet long and 225 feet broad. More light can shine on the field thanks to the installation of soccer lights at a specified height from the ground. Next, in order to adequately light the entire soccer field, you will typically require 14,000 watts of lighting. This may be achieved with a variety of light sources; just be sure to pick the right ones.
Football Field & Stadium Lighting
The size of the field you have to deal with and the desired brightness of the surrounding areas will determine the proper stadium lighting for a football pitch. If your field already has stadium light poles, you may be able to save money by using them; if not, you can buy entire kits that include the fixture itself, the light pole, and all other required components. Compared to recreational fields, professional football fields need a greater level of illumination.
For instance, Class 1 football fields with a distance of more than 100 feet between the closest sideline and the farthest row of spectators need 100-foot candles. In contrast, Class 5 fields without fixed seating have 10-foot candles. LED lights are advised since they utilize the least amount of power while providing the brightest and most durable illumination. Before placing any beams or lighting fixtures in the stadium, make sure to take the right measurements. LED lights should be constructed with various beam patterns to obtain the best illumination levels with the fewest possible lights. Look over your choices and select the one that best suits you.
We Can Assist You in Locating the Ideal Stadium Light Package
It is possible to purchase stadium and arena light pole sets to avoid using complicated formulas and conversions. A power bar package is a suggested alternative if the installation is new and no poles or fittings already exist. This option enables a quick and simple installation process. Stadium light poles are able to be erected as a single unit rather than in several pieces thanks to the power bar package and other kits. Benwei stands out as the best commercial lighting solution because of these turnkey, all-in-one kits that save you time and money on installation while still giving you a top-notch product.
Contact benweilight.com for additional details on our packages and unique pricing for stadium lighting.
