| A couple nights I went to a hockey game. One of my | | | | your favorite sporting event you'll notice that there are |
| favorite things to do is watch sports live and to me | | | | different lighting needs for the playing field and for the |
| there is nothing like watching a hockey game. There is | | | | audience. For the playing field you have to find the |
| something so awesome about the beauty and the | | | | perfect combination of lights to make sure the field of |
| force that you see on the ice. It's a mix of toughness | | | | play is easily seen by both player and spectator alike |
| (both physical and mental), finesse, and luck all put | | | | without overwhelming them with unnecessary |
| together in a game that is played on the fastest | | | | brightness or heat. There is an old phrase in baseball |
| sporting surface known to man. | | | | that says "He lost it in the lights on that fly ball". That |
| Of course, none of this would be possible at a live | | | | type of problem is unavoidable at times but as a |
| setting without the commercial lighting at the arena. I | | | | lighting designer you have to make sure that that kind |
| know, I know, it's a mundane thing to think about: | | | | of issue is kept at a minimum. |
| lighting. We take it completely for granted at sporting | | | | For fans, different arenas and stadium have different |
| events. But without expert lighting we wouldn't be able | | | | levels of lighting for the spectator areas. Places like the |
| to watch our favorite team go out there night after | | | | Staples Center in Los Angeles like to darken the |
| night to beat their hated rivals. | | | | crowd during games so that the playing surface can |
| I know it's obvious, but one must recognize lighting | | | | be better seen. For football and baseball night games, |
| varies from sport to sport, and from arena to stadium. | | | | stadiums have a tendency to keep the spectators in a |
| It's not just about shining lights onto the playing field, it's | | | | slightly dimmer light then the playing surface, but still |
| about expert planners, electricians and maintenance | | | | give them enough light to walk, eat and peruse |
| men and women making sure that the light shines in | | | | comfortably. |
| the right places at the right times and seamlessly | | | | Just a little something to think about the next time you |
| melds into the playing area and crowd. | | | | go out to root on your favorite sports team. |
| If you really look at the lighting the next time you go to | | | | |