PANSTADIA & ARENA MANAGEMENT WINTER 2013/14


a spirit of innovation


Musco ushers in new era of LED lighting in sports arenas. W


hen the world needs innovation in lighting solutions, it consistently


turns to Musco. For nearly four decades, Musco has engineered and manufactured lighting systems for sports and large areas – custom-designed for each project to provide the best lifetime cost for the owner and to meet the differing needs for participants, spectators, and television broadcasts.


That legacy and vision continues, as Musco has ushered in the era of lighting technology using LED as the light source in college and professional sports arenas.


“For indoor arenas with high hours of use and multi-purpose objectives, LED now provides the best cost of ownership,” according to Jeff Rogers, President of Musco World. “When applied properly, it can improve the playing experience, enhance television broadcasts, and create special effects that provide added value.”


This same technology was unveiled in September 2013, with the opening of the iconic San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge lighting project. Musco fi tted the bridge’s new East Span with more than 48,000 LEDs, each one precisely aimed to enhance the safety and experience of the nearly 300,000 drivers who cross the bridge daily. The company also has used LED technology on other notable lighting projects, such as the White House and the Statue of Liberty.


Substantial benefits, big challenges


The characteristics of LED make it well- suited for arenas. Improved effi ciency resulting in lower energy consumption for long hours of operation and the ability to dim for non-televised events help offset the capital cost and reduce the environmental impact. Other benefi ts include improved light quality and colour rendition, longer lamp life which virtually eliminates maintenance, and instant on/off allowing for special effects during player introductions and halftime events.


But, using LED this way doesn’t come without challenges. With the higher light


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output of LED, luminaires need to have advanced light control capabilities to maximise the quality and quantity of light on the playing surface. “Controlling the light from thousands of high-output LED light sources to minimise glare is more challenging than with metal halide,” explains Rogers. “You also have to design the structural and electrical components for reliability to allow the system to reach its full life potential and to provide the maximum vertical light levels for broadcasts, with the lowest kilowatt consumption.”


This year, Musco used its proven expertise to retrofi t the arenas of several major universities across the United States using LED as the light source – bringing a more enjoyable experience to spectators, a better viewing experience for fans at home,


NORTH AMERICA SUPPLEMENT


Arizona State University – Wells Fargo Arena


In August, 2013, Arizona State became the nation’s fi rst NCAA FBS institution to feature LED-based lights, when Wells Fargo Arena went operational with its new state-of-the-art system. Like Notre Dame, Arizona State had partnered with Musco in the past. So when the university decided to embark on this historic project at Wells Fargo Arena – a facility which just turned 30 years old – Arizona State knew it had the perfect solution.


“Over the last decade, we’ve worked with ASU on several projects on campus that have reduced energy consumption and environmental impact,” says Rogers. “Musco was pleased to work with ASU and their sustainability partner, Ameresco, to


and a safer and more effi cient playing experience for the student- athletes. At the same time, the new systems dramatically reduced energy consumption and operating costs for the schools.


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