Introduction

Hockey, like all other sports, requires adequate lighting for safe and enjoyable play unless conducted under sufficient daylight. Whether matches are at the recreational level or televised internationally, nighttime illumination is essential. It shares similar lighting standards with other sports venues such as football fields, tennis courts, and baseball stadiums. This article primarily addresses the differences in lighting standards between non-televised and televised hockey fields. There is growing recognition that adhering to these standards is vital for any sports venue, as high-quality hockey lighting delivers significant added value. Hockey lighting standards cover illuminance, uniformity, MAUR, CCT, CRI, vertical illuminance, and GR. We will also clarify which aspects require lighting simulation (ZGSM lighting design solutions) for optimization, while others only necessitate careful luminaire selection without simulation. Focusing on these differences, we will highlight the differences in lighting design between non-televised and televised hockey fields. Let’s move on to understand how hockey lighting can provide a better experience for players, spectators, and television viewers, and how it meets the relevant standards.

Standards about hockey lighting

Hockey lighting standards include EN12193, IESNA’s RP-6-15, and the FIH. The former is the European reference standard, with lighting classes divided into Class I, II, and III, with illumination requirements of 500 lux, 300 lux, and 200 lux, respectively. IESNA’s lighting classes are divided into Class I, II, III, and IV, with illumination requirements of 1000 lux, 500 lux, 300 lux, and 200 lux, respectively. FIH’s illumination requirements vary significantly depending on whether or not a match is televised. For non-televised events, the illumination requirements are essentially the same as EN12193 (More about EN12193 sports lighting standard), with only Class II requirements being slightly higher at 350 lux. For televised events, the illumination requirements are significantly higher. Furthermore, the three standards differ in illumination uniformity requirements. The former two do not address vertical illumination, vertical illumination uniformity, and flicker factor, while the FIH does. The FIH (International Hockey Federation) has specific lighting standards for televised hockey pitches. Cameras primarily focus on three-dimensional objects such as the players, ball, and referees, rather than the horizontal surface of the pitch. The FIH also has requirements for vertical illumination uniformity. For example, TV1 has requirements for vertical illumination in all directions, while TV2 only requires vertical illumination and uniformity for the main camera. The FIH also has requirements for MAUR, flicker factor, and GR. Below are the lighting standards from EN12193 and the FIH. If your hockey pitch has televised requirements, please refer to the lighting design section.

Main concerns refer to hockey lighting design

Size of field hockey

A hockey pitch has long sides called sidelines and short sides called endlines, with a center line running through it, dividing the field in half. The playing field is 91.40 meters long and 55.0 meters wide, plus the perimeter extending beyond the playing field (typically 5 meters from each endline and 3 meters from each sideline). Therefore, the overall dimensions of a hockey pitch are 101.4 meters x 61.0 meters. If your hockey pitch is not a standard pitch, please modify it accordingly, as this will affect the number of luminaires required for hockey lighting, as well as the lens selection and pole layout.

Horizontal illuminance and uniformity

Illuminance is the most fundamental requirement, representing how brightly a field needs to be lit. EN12193 and FIH classify fields based on the level of competition they host. For example: Non-competitive fields (e.g., physical education classes and recreational games) should use Lighting Class III. Training fields and youth/lower-level club competitions should use Lighting Class II. Higher-level competitions (e.g., club matches and non-televised events) should use Lighting Class I. – Television broadcasts require even higher illuminance levels. Illuminance uniformity (How to improve lighting uniformity?) describes how light is distributed across the playing surface. FIH standards specify requirements for both U1 and U2: U1 = Emin/Emax and U2 = Emin/Eave. For instance, FIH mandates that non-televised matches achieve U1 > 0.5 and U2 > 0.7, whereas EN12193 only requires U2 > 0.7 for all three lighting classes.

Glare rating

For outdoor hockey venues, a Glare Rating (GR) is given based on a mathematical glare formula. The degree to which the lighting system is disturbing to a person on or near the field. EN12193 requires that GR should be less than 50, while FIH requires the GR to be less than 55 for lighting class III. For other lighting class they are same for both EN12193 and FIH. To control the glare, using asymmetrical light distribution or hood/cover to block upward lighting after installation is a very useful solution. Btw, increase the height of poles, change the layout of poles and change the aiming point of LED lamps will also help to reduce the GR value. For more information about it, please check our blog – Reduce glare in lighting design.

Main concerns not refer to hockey lighting design

Colour rendering

CRI measures the fidelity of artificial lighting in reproducing the true colors of objects under full-spectrum daylight. The rating ranges from 1 to 100, with 100 indicating the most accurate reproduction. A higher CRI value signifies a light source’s superior ability to restore objects’ true colors. Accurate color rendering not only enhances safety and meets the demands of quality-conscious spectators but also plays a simple yet crucial role in distinguishing team colors and characteristics. Consequently, stadium lighting has specific CRI requirements. According to EN12193 standards, CRI must fall between 60 and 70. The FIH sets slightly higher CRI requirements: hockey lighting without television broadcasts must have a CRI greater than 65, while hockey lighting with television broadcasts requires a CRI greater than 75. Television broadcast hockey lighting sometimes also specifies TLCI requirements, as a higher TLCI enables cameras to better capture on-site colors. Read this blog – TLCI vs CRI in sports lighting to learn more.

Correlated colour temperature (colour appearance)

In sports field lighting, CCT stands for Correlated Color Temperature, which is referred to as the apparent color. It indicates the perceived color (how the light appears) of a light source, measured in Kelvin. The standard for measurement is the similarity between the light emitted by the source and the color emitted by a blackbody at different temperatures. The lower the CCT value, the warmer the light appears, exhibiting yellow or orange hues; while a higher CCT value produces cooler light, appearing white or blue. The former resembles the warm glow of winter sunlight, while the latter resembles the glaring white of summer sunlight. FIH requires hockey pitch lighting fixtures to use a color temperature of 4000K or higher, while EN12193 recommends that the correlated color temperature of artificial lighting shall be between 5000K and 6000K. For broadcast hockey lighting, it is recommended that the initial installation maintain consistent color temperatures and avoid using stadium lights with mixed-color-temperature LED chips.

Flicker Factor (FF)

During hockey game broadcasts, certain lighting systems may exhibit screen flickering during video playback or slow-motion replays. This occurs because the driver circuits in LED fixtures lack sufficient stability, resulting in “ripple” in the output current. Consequently, the light emitted by the fixtures shows noticeable fluctuations in brightness. This ripple can also be expressed as the flicker factor, which measures the degree of brightness modulation over a complete cycle. It relates to the ratio of the maximum brightness value to the minimum brightness value within a full cycle, calculated as: Amplitude Change / Average Light Output. So why can’t the human eye detect it, yet a phone camera can capture it? This is because the human eye and a camera perceive light entirely differently: The human eye possesses “persistence of vision,” acting as a natural “filter.” As long as the light’s flicker frequency exceeds approximately 80Hz, our brain automatically “smooths” it out, making the light appear stable. Cameras, however, are far more literal. They function as sampling instruments, faithfully recording every instantaneous variation in brightness from the light source. This has nothing to do with lighting simulation, but opting for a high-quality LED driver (lower ripple) will be an ideal solution. For more details, please check our blog – Why do LED lights flicker or flash?

Lighting design for non-televised and televised hockey pitch

The level of hockey matches a pitch will host is generally determined during its initial construction. If no television broadcast is required, lighting simulations can be conducted based on EN12193 or FIH’s three lighting classes. For Class III hockey pitches, you must also verify the field dimensions, as these pitches may sometimes deviate from standard sizes. For pitches requiring television broadcasts, lighting simulations must follow FIH standards (as detailed in the table below). Since these pitches have specific vertical illuminance requirements, it is strongly recommended to meticulously verify the positioning of light poles. Post-installation adjustments to pole locations can significantly impact lighting outcomes, particularly vertical illuminance. The following sections provide detailed explanations.

Lighting design for non-televised hockey lighting

Since every hockey pitch is unique, a one-size-fits-all lighting solution cannot be devised. We recommend finalizing hockey lighting designs for standard-sized pitches only after confirming pole positions and heights. If your project involves a non-standard field or has specific illuminance requirements, please contact ZGSM for a customized solution. Below, we present lighting simulation results and effect diagrams (3D false-color renderings) for standard pitches for three lighting classes. ZGSM’s solutions achieve optimal illumination with lower wattage (meeting illuminance and uniformity requirements). As shown in the false-color image on the left below, there are no excessively dark (green—only slight green near sidelines) or excessively bright (white) areas, indicating excellent uniformity. Additionally, ZGSM provides aiming points to guide client installation, ensuring actual lighting performance meets design standards.

Lighting design for televised hockey lighting

For televised hockey pitches, lighting fixtures are mounted on light poles or towers positioned at the corners of the rink. This is because in large stadiums, vertical illuminance cannot meet camera requirements when relying solely on side lighting (side layout). When you checking a hockey lighting design using a side layout, we will see that the area between the connecting line of the two side light poles and the baseline has zero vertical illuminance. To increase vertical illuminance in these areas, we must move the light poles beyond the baseline (i.e., four tall poles). When using four tall poles, vertical illuminance in the center zone of the rink can sometimes be suboptimal, requiring additional lighting to supplement vertical illuminance in that area. Reasonable approaches include installing tall poles along the center line extension to mount field lights. For large stadium projects (with a roof), luminaires can be mounted on the roof structure to enhance vertical illumination. Additionally, to provide a glare-free environment for players, referees, and media (More details about how to reduce glare in sports lighting), televised hockey lighting imposes placement restrictions on light poles. For instance, per FIH standards, poles must not be positioned within the red zones shown in the diagram below.

For televised hockey lighting, we also provide an example of lighting simulation. We compared two pole configurations: one with six tall poles and another with four tall poles. The former used 100 pcs ZGSM Glomax sports lights (1800W, more about ZGSM Glomax high mast lights), while the latter employed 108 pcs ZGSM Glomax sports lights (1800W). The illumination results were comparable: vertical illuminance measured 1493 lux for the former and 1405 lux for the latter. The former actually achieved higher horizontal illuminance. This occurs because while this configuration uses more fixtures to ensure vertical illuminance at the center meets FIH standards, it also disperses more light toward the periphery and sky. If your project has specific vertical illuminance requirements, please contact ZGSM for further details.

Cost difference for non-televised and televised hockey lighting

The cost of hockey lighting solutions involves multiple factors, such as fixture costs, installation expenses, operational expenses, and subsequent maintenance costs. Luminaire and operational costs are directly related to the total wattage of the fixtures (number and wattage). Installation costs are not discussed here, while maintenance costs primarily depend on product quality. Below, we analyze the cost differences between 500 lux hockey lighting without TV broadcasts and 1500 lux (vertical illuminance 1400 lux) hockey lighting with TV broadcasts. As seen in the lighting simulation from the previous section, the total wattage ratio is not 1:3. Hockey pitches requiring television broadcasts have specific vertical illuminance requirements, often necessitating more than three times the number of fixtures to achieve the needed vertical illuminance. Consequently, the horizontal illuminance also significantly exceeds 1500 lux. Since the wattage ratio is not 1:3, the operating costs are also not proportional. See the detailed breakdown in the table below. Additionally, all hockey LED lighting is mounted on high poles. So ZGSM recommends using high-quality fixtures to reduce maintenance frequency, such as LEDs with low lumen depreciation and LED drivers with a low MTBF rate (What’s MTBF?). The former relates to group replacement, as luminaires typically require replacement when light decay (What’s light decay?) reaches 70% to maintain required illuminance levels. The latter relates to spot replacement, as individual luminaires must be promptly replaced when they fail to ensure consistent lighting quality. Using LED drivers with low failure rates is crucial for this purpose.

ZGSM sports lighting fixtures

Summary

This article systematically examines the key elements of field hockey stadium lighting design, focusing on core differences between non-televised and televised venues in terms of standard requirements, design methodologies, and cost structures. Lighting design must strictly adhere to standards such as EN12193, IESNA RP-6-15, and those set by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). For non-televised venues, horizontal illuminance, uniformity (U1, U2) and glare rating (GR) is required. Television broadcast venues impose additional requirements, including vertical illuminance and its uniformity, flicker factor (FF), and TLCI, to ensure accurate color reproduction and flicker-free broadcasts. Design must rationally arrange light poles and fixtures based on field dimensions (91.4m × 55m), optimize light distribution (What’s light distribution?) through optical simulation, and employ asymmetric distribution or shielding to control glare. Television broadcast venues often require high poles (or lights on canopy) positioned both outside the baseline and outside the centerline to enhance vertical illuminance. The number of luminaires, total power consumption, and associated costs for such venues are significantly higher than non-broadcast venues (not a simple linear relationship). High-efficiency (More about luminous efficacy), low-lumen-depreciation, and stable-drive LED products must be selected to minimize long-term maintenance requirements. If you have a hockey lighting installation or upgrade, contact ZGSM for a customized lighting solution. We tailor cost-effective (balancing visual experience and economy) solutions based on your venue’s purpose, dimensions, and lighting standards.

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