SECTION 12

SPORTS LIGHTING
Though difficult visual tasks, such as following a fast-moving black
hockey puck, a small white golf ball, or the sharp point of a fencer's foil,
are encountered in sports, the necessity for concentration is not likely to be
of long duration, and far, rather than near, vision is used mcs tfrequently.
The exact nature of the seeing tasks, which varies over a wide range from
sport to sport, has been standardized to some degree within each sport by
the development of playing rules by local and national athletic organiza-
tions. These groups frequently specify the required characteristics and
dimensions of equipment and playing areas.
The existence of such playing area standards has made it feasible to
develop standard lighting plans for many types of playing areas, even
though exhaustive research has not been devoted to the basic problems en-
countered. The best known sports lighting standards are those of the
National Electrical Manufacturer's Association which are being studied
by the I.E.S. Sports Lighting Committee.
On the basis of practical experience with installations throughout the
United States, the N.E.M.A. Standards have been improved from time
to time, and by investigation of the fundamental problems it is expected
that means for additional improvement may be developed.
Seeing Problems in Sports
The following factors, which influence light and vision relationships in
all lighting application fields, are recognized as variable in sports lighting,
whereas in other fields they often are assumed to be constant:
Size (minutes)
Object of regard
'
Background
Location
Path
Velocity
Average brightness
Brightness pattern
(
Location
Observer
\
Path
[
Velocity
The objective of a sports lighting installation is to control the brightness
of the object and the background to the extent that the object will be
visible, regardless of its size, location, path, and velocity, for any observer
location, path and velocity. In a majority of sports this objective is
achieved by illumination of vertical rather than horizontal surfaces.
Objects to be seen. Dimersions and reflectances cf typical objects that
require the visual concentration cf player, official, and spectator are listed
in Table 12-1 with the usual range of distances over which each must be
observed.
NOTE: References are listed at the end of each section.