VFL Wolfsburg is to become the first German soccer team to have LED pitch lighting installed at its stadium. Philips, which is providing the lighting, says it will deliver a better quality of light at the Volkswagen Arena, allowing for improved TV coverage of games and synching up with stadium displays.
The new Philips ArenaVision LED pitch lighting system will offer a number of new functionalities that conventional pitch lighting does not. It does not need to be "warmed up," for example, and will instead be ready for use immediately after being switched on. It is also more energy efficient and can be used to illuminate specific areas of the pitch, if needed for things like maintenance or training, for example.
Philips says that during matches, the use of LED lighting will give a more consistent level of light across the pitch, therefore allowing TV cameras to capture more detail. It will also apparently eliminate the flicker that can sometimes be seen on slow motion TV replays and ultra-HD TV coverage, too.
Another feature of the system is movable color spotlights that can be used for light shows before and after games, at events or during concerts, like a similar system being installed at Spanish club Atletico Madrid's new home (also provided by Philips). These, along with the pitch lighting, can be synchronized with video screens and perimeter message displays in the stadium.
The LED system will be installed at the Volkswagen Arena during the German football winter break, which runs from late December to late January. It will be first used for Wolfsburg's game against Hamburger SV on January 21.
Source: Philips