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Does Your Stadium & Court Lighting Make The Cut?

Turn on the Lights to Beat the Summer Heat

It’s about to get hot. For most of North America, summer is already here. The thought of being outside during these scorching days leaves us all feeling a little weak in the knees. If only there were a simple technology that could open up some better hours for sports and leisure activities. If only there were some way to get in some exercise while staying out of the sun.

Lights of all shapes and sizes can make the difference between “all work and no play” and “having fun while staying cool.” But managing those lights can be a real headache. How can a facility best balance the needs of their customers with the hard-and-fast rules of business and efficiency?

Here are a few tips when considering the lights at your sports facility:

Consider Comfort

Lights are all about making it easier to see. But beyond just illuminating a jogging path, or the inbounds line on a tennis court, lighting also needs to be comfortable. Too harsh a glare and would-be players will complain and stay away. To put it simply, your court lighting must be comfortable for both patrons and staff. Using lights that don’t put out a harsh glare is a must, especially in outdoor settings. Finding the right balance between the proper amount of light and the right comfort level is crucial.

“As soon as we changed out the lights, our nighttime participation increased dramatically!”

Meredith Walton, Kingwood Country Club Tennis Director

The Kingwood Country Club learned this lesson recently. When rebuilding their tennis courts after Hurricane Harvey, the club partnered with FSG to get effective yet comfortable tennis court lighting. Since installing their new lights, nightly use of their tennis courts has increased by over 30%!

Create An Experience

In 2018, the French Open tennis tournament went all-in. On the last day of that year’s event, the demolition crews arrived. They were there to renovate, rebuild, and re-imagine a venue that had been in operation for almost 100 years. In addition to adding state-of-the-art facilities and a retractable roof to center court, the crews also broke ground on entirely new courts. By adding a “greenhouse”-style sunken court, complete with retractable lighting fixtures, the tournament expects to sell somewhere around 150,000 extra tickets to upcoming events. The lighting upgrade is slated for 2021 but is long overdue considering where the rest of the sports world is with lighting today. The lesson here is to think not only of how better lights can help your existing business but also keep an eye to the future. How can a new lighting system actually create the opportunity for additional revenue?

Choose Wisely

Lighting upgrades are a big decision. Perhaps no one understands that more than an NFL team. Operating stadiums that cover entire city blocks and host nearly 100,000 fans every week, NFL teams know both the costs and the opportunities that come with an extensive stadium lighting overhaul. That’s why FSG was selected as a lighting contractor on the project to design and install an LED lighting solution at NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans. With 35 years of experience in this industry, the resources of thousands of employees and hundreds of subcontractors, and the dedication necessary to get the job done right, FSG was the logical choice for a stadium lighting project of this size.

NRG Stadium

Whether you’re interested in re-lighting a tennis court, expanding your operations with better lighting, or pioneering a new lighting system in a billion dollar stadium venue, FSG is here for you.

Our teams of designers, managers, technicians, and maintenance experts are standing ready to help you bring the light to your customers and your athletes. Don’t let poor lighting stand in the way of giving you the most customer-centric experience in your market. Give us a call at 1 (512) 615-6615 or email us today. Bring us your most challenging sports lighting question!


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