The University of Phoenix Stadium, home of this year’s Super Bowl, has been preparing technological upgrades well in advance of this Sunday’s big game.
The vast majority of these installations started during the Arizona Cardinals’ past off-season. The team doled out upwards of $18 million to completely retrofit the venue. Nearly $11 million of which went to two new video boards, standing three times the size of its predecessors. The one in the south end zone, of note, runs the width of the field and is 54 feet high by 164 feet wide. The quality of the resolution being 75 percent better for each of them than the previous ones.
The Wi-Fi system, meanwhile, cost came out to $8 million as part of the enhanced wireless coverage, spanning the 4G service coverage of the four major smartphone carriers, be it outside or inside the stadium. The Cisco Connected Stadium serves as the new hub for the entire infrastructure change. The Wi-Fi should be available at every row for fans in attendance, since access points have multiplied seven-fold and bandwidth by ten times.
That’s the visible and inconspicuous aspects. Both the video boards and connectivity first debuted on the season-opener. They will garner plenty of interest from New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks fans alike come Sunday–and rightfully so, considering how imperative these feature are to the ever-evolving, in-venue experience. The collegiate precursor to the Super Bowl, the College Football Playoff National Championship, showed off its visual and network capabilities. The Super Bowl certainly won’t be outdone, given the aforementioned fiscal investment.
Yet, how can something else within the potential “smart stadium” ecosystem be quite apparent but go unnoticed–until the lights go out, literally, that is?
The Blackout Bowl forewarned that such an unfathomable situation can happen. The very state of NFL stadium lighting on this infamous night hasn’t been any different than had it took place a decade or two ago. The inefficient legacy lighting products, like the metal halide system, left facility operators with just one option to work with throughout this time.
Since then, though, LED lighting technology has evolved considerably. It used to be some futuristic pipedream–especially to those in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome that evening–but it’s now reached a tipping point where sporting venues can deploy LED lights, making the University of Phoenix Stadium the first-ever NFL stadium and Super Bowl host to be illuminated by it, thanks to a Syracuse, New York-based startup, Ephesus Lighting.
“LED is a laptop computer whereas metal halide lights are a typewriter,” Mike Lorenz, President of Ephesus Lighting, tells SportTechie, in terms of the former being the new industry standard.
This kind of technology wasn’t ready back in 2013 for an NFL stadium. Ephesus has outfitted over 100 indoor and outdoor sports arenas in the last two years, including the Ottawa Senators’ Canadian Tire Center and Duke University’s Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium. The 63,400 seat multi-purpose University of Phoenix Stadium definitely is a different task to perfect the lighting for than hockey or basketball sites. These discussions began as early as spring of 2013, with a final decision by summer of 2014. Lorenz mentions that some of the initial issues revolved around feasibility, cost, timing, and overall benefits of LED versus current HID lighting solutions.
The last point of concern, however, shouldn’t placed too much thought–more of a moot point due to the gap that exists between the two systems. LED, in effect, is, indeed, smart lighting, where it saves energy, offers the lighting with less fixtures, and gives facility operators a lot of flexibility since it’s maintenance free.
In fact, for the University of Phoenix Stadium, Ephesus’ LED lights didn’t require major changes to its current infrastructure, including electrical. The new lights came from their factory pre-mounted, wired, and aimed on new brackets, which just needed to be lifted and attached to the existing catwalk system. It didn’t even come close to being a problem with the retractable part of the roof either. All of this procedure took less than 12 hours. Thus, instantly proving it’s a stark upgrade because of its simplified installation.
The testing protocols required checking the lights extensively during assembly and again when it arrived at the stadium, which ensured its functionality prior to deploying them. As for power and control systems, they were tested on site. Lorenz notes that the stadium operators were a little conservative in using the lights when the football season started, but increased their full functionality leading up to the Super Bowl, with the Fiesta Bowl and Pro Bowl activating a few special effects.
Accordingly, Ephesus replaced the 780 metal halide fixtures that produced 148 foot candles of light in favor of its own 312 stadium fixtures–each being able to be controlled as a silo to maximize the lighting effects’ flexibility–that generates 277 foot candles of light. With this in place, the system’s wattage reduced from 1.2 million to 312,00 watts for energy savings of 75 percent.
So, less physical fixtures, more light. And significant greening impact.
An integral part that supports this entire endeavor stems from the engineers’ ability to conduct a complete spectrum analysis to quantify the potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the venue, juxtaposing the previous lighting system with the LED lights. The less EMI housed inside the site means that new system doesn’t negate Wi-Fi or wireless audio onto the stands or field of play. Thus, allowing bandwidth to be maximized and unabated for all users.
Lorenz further explains: “Measurements indicated that the Ephesus system produced little to no EMI in potentially critical game operations frequencies and as compared to the old system. Operators can conclude the use of an Ephesus LED system will pose less impact on electrical systems in the venue than other lighting systems might, which is important as stadiums increase the amount of devices and technologies deployed in venues.”
He continued: “Though these systems do not necessarily rely on each other, the fact that no EMI is generated by Ephesus systems allows operators to be more at ease as communications systems in venues increase.”
On the software-side, its role pays dividends towards the scenes and special light shows that are possible due to them being programmed into the light array. Upon request, teams or the venue can spur any scene, camera flashes, and fireworks they so choose. Ephesus’ systems integrates with the typical control technologies available, too. And climate doesn’t impede with any of the LED’s capabilities. The digital lighting umbrella enables all of this to happen, unlike legacy-based properties.
Conversely, this lighting infrastructure overhaul benefits all parties involved, besides the venue, from the fans, to the players, and broadcasters.
“Both the fans in the stadium and those at home will see the clearest picture ever; because no matter where you are, you are watching the game with optimal lighting conditions. The sheer amount of light Ephesus will deliver at the Super Bowl is a game-changer. There will be less shadows on the field, less glare from the lights, and a consistent look all across the field for the entire game. And, especially important, crystal clear, slow-motion replays,” says Lorenz.
For the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, the Super Bowl could very well be better played; there’s less light spillage, thus, reducing glare and eliminates unplanned shadows. Lorenz claims that the last facet, unplanned shadows, are what tends to fool players–it changes how fast they perceive the ball’s travel, as it goes in and out of these shadows. What’s more, the high output lighting could give referees a better look at instant replays.
As it relates to the broadcasters, virtually the same defects that players have gone through with metal halide light impedes their work, too, to a certain extent. They have been used to adjusting the camera’s aperture and open as wide as possible to be able to get enough light emanated inside, which negatively impacts HD television’s capability. The instances where blurry images transpired affects the camera’s ability to zoom in or show slow motion replays.
“We have been working closely with the production team at NBC Sports and the game operations staff to provide consistent and predictable lighting for the entire game, both on the field and in the stands. We are able to synch up the cameras with the lights so that they work together,” Lorenz added.
“Each Ephesus LED is a mini-computer; and, as a result, we can program it to perform however we want. In contrast, the legacy lighting systems did not work with the TV cameras,” states Lorenz.
Ephesus is also planning on a surprise demonstration of the lights with NBC Sports during the halftime show, which hasn’t been done before via stadium lighting.
This Super Bowl Sunday expects to be the best lit and visually pleasing game witnessed since its inception. This lighting technology presents the closest properties likened to actually sunlight. Underlying color tones can be changed at the push of a button, limiting the broadcaster from having to compensate.
“The worldwide stage of the Super Bowl will show the world that LED lighting is ready for primetime. Any questions about the readiness of LED sports lighting and the misinformation and myths out there will be squashed when people see results. It’s an exciting time for the future of sports lighting,” Lorenz exclaims.
Through Ephesus Lighting’s efforts, LED’s benefits emit crystal clear.
Katy Perry and Lenny Kravitz are headlining the Super Bowl halftime show–even YouTube is getting in the mix–but if Ephesus had it its way, with these new lights, Kanye West and his “All of the Lights” would be the emblematic choice…