PATRIOTS-SEAHAWKS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TO BE THE FIRST ONE EVER
PLAYED UNDER LED LIGHTS
University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ Offers State-of-the-Art Ephesus LED
Sports Lighting for the Benefit of Players, Fans and TV Viewers
SYRACUSE, NY, JANUARY 20, 2015 – It’s not the first time a championships football game
will be played at University of Phoenix Stadium and the two teams will not be there for
the first time. But for the first-time ever, the big game will be illuminated by high
performance LED stadium lights from Ephesus Lighting, Inc., the leader in providing LED
lighting solutions for sports facilities.
Earlier this season, University of Phoenix Stadium became the first NFL venue to light its
playing surface with LED lighting. The lights have been a hit with fans, players,
broadcasters and facility operators.
“This year LED sports lighting has proved to be ready for primetime as we illuminated
more than 1,000 sporting events with our Ephesus LED stadium and arena lights,” said
Mike Lorenz, President of Ephesus Lighting. “It’s fitting that the biggest sporting event
in the world will be lit by our LED lights, the future of sports lighting.”
Ephesus fixtures, which are Powered by Cree® LEDs, provide a significant increase in
illumination compared to the traditional metal halide lights that were previously
installed at University of Phoenix Stadium. LED lighting also provides brighter and more
uniform light which eliminates shadows on the playing surface, creating a better stage
for players and fans, both in the stadium and watching on high-definition television.
The Ephesus installation is well-suited to HDTV broadcasting and feedback from
broadcasters this season has been very positive. Not only is the light brighter and more
uniform across the playing surface, but the new lighting ensures that colors are
reproduced more accurately. Since broadcasters do not need to open the camera’s
aperture as wide to let in more light, they can present a clearer picture, show greater
field depth, zoom in closer and even offer more detailed slow motion replays.
“The capabilities of LED technology have changed the way we view sports lighting,” said
Joe Casper, Founder and CTO of Ephesus Lighting. “There is no doubt in our minds that
both the fans in the stadium and millions more watching on television will see the game
in a whole new light thanks to our ground-breaking system.”
University of Phoenix Stadium installed 312 Ephesus Stadium fixtures to replace the 780
metal halide fixtures. The new system uses just 310,000 watts of energy as compared to
the 1.24 million watts needed to power the previous system for a 75% reduction in
overall sports lighting energy consumption.
Additionally, LED lights can be turned on and off with the flick of a switch, whereas
metal halide fixtures require a 20-minute warm-up period. This on/off feature allows
facility operators to create light shows for fan entertainment, and, if a power outage
were to cause a blackout, like it did in 2013 at the Superdome, the LED lights can be
turned back on immediately with the flick of a switch.
“As the host venue for the 2015 Super Bowl, we are excited about demonstrating the
benefits of LED technology to a global audience,” said Peter Sullivan, General Manager
and Regional Vice President for Global Spectrum at University of Phoenix Stadium. “The
Ephesus Lighting LED solution has improved lighting for the athletes, fans and
broadcasters, all while reducing energy consumption and eliminating conventional
sports lighting maintenance expense.”
The University of Phoenix Stadium, with its retractable roof and field, is unlike any other
stadium in North America, and a marvel of design, engineering, and technology. This
multi-purpose facility, which opened on August 1, 2006, previously hosted Super Bowl
XLII in 2008, two BCS National Championship Games (2007 & 2011), the annual Fiesta
Bowl, and numerous international soccer matches. The 63,400-seat stadium, which is
expandable to seat 72,200 fans, is owned by the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority
(AZSTA) and operated by Global Spectrum.
Since lighting the first sports venue with LED technology in North America in 2012,
Ephesus Lighting luminaires have been operational for over 300,000 hours in more than
100 indoor and outdoor sports and entertainment venues across North America.
About Ephesus Lighting
Ephesus Lighting, Inc. is a US-based company that manufactures high-output LED
lighting solutions for challenging applications in the industrial and sporting markets.
Ephesus is focused on innovating advanced LED solutions that will enrich and illuminate
the world, by creating brighter, more vibrant and more sustainable
environments. Ephesus Lighting is Powered by Cree® LEDs. Cree® is a registered
trademark of Cree, Inc.
For more information, visit www.ephesuslighting.com, follow us on Twitter
@EphesusLighting or contact us at 315-579-2873 or [email protected].
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Media Contact
Doug Drotman
Ephesus Lighting
631-462-1198 or [email protected]