It’s All About The Friday Nights Lights

With fall almost here comes one of Texas’ most beloved traditions…Friday Night Lights! But you may not have even noticed one of the newest trends in technology at many sports stadiums which is the lighting. The switch from antiquated metal-halide lights to LED technology began in 2012 when a young upstart company, Ephesus Lighting, installed the first LED sports lighting system at the Onondaga County War Memorial AHL hockey arena in Syracuse, New York. That same company’s lights illuminated Super Bowl XLIX at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona less than 5 years later.

The initial leap to LED lighting was in large part due to the estimated 70% savings in energy costs that were expected. And now nearly 1/3 of all sports stadiums have installed LED lighting. The money-saving aspect might have drawn people in but it’s the enhanced fan experience that has kept this technology booming. The change at the professional level has now paved the way for thousands of high school and municipal sports fields all across America that are making the change so that their fans and players can also experience the benefits of an LED sports lighting solution.

One example of this is a project that we are working on at the Cotton Ranch facility. We are currently installing sports lighting on a brand new practice field. We are set to erect 2 poles and 12 sets of lighting that will make a huge difference in cost and fan experience. Not to mention the safety aspect that it also provides to the players and coaches. Be sure to check out the 1^st stage photos that we have on our website!