An outdoor basketball court lighting design does not always get a lot of attention. But the lighting plan and the lighting design determine how the players and spectators feel. It can drive revenue for the basketball stadium owner. Plus, the ideal design complies with the lighting standard by enhancing the aesthetics at the same time.
Before we begin discussing the outdoor basketball court lighting ideas
Choosing fixtures and spacing them starts with the correct types of lights. After all, you must know which one is perfect for your arena. Each type fits in a specific environment. Perhaps, you need to deal with the nearby buildings that enclose the court. Or maybe, you have no light or power source in the vicinity. So, you need to install a brand-new lighting system.
Of course, even planning a lighting design has its pitfalls. Any outdoor sports field is at the mercy of the weather. So, it is better to discuss how to select the lights to avoid common mistakes and issues. Scroll down to the last section to read how you can make managing the lights easier as well.
Top ways to light an outdoor basketball court
1. Flood lights
A LED flood light is the perfect lighting solution for most locations. Usually, you find several models suitable for playing basketball, ranging from 200W to 500W of power consumption.
These fixtures offer a large beam angle. In modern models, the slick design provides you with a compact product you can fit in any outdoor venue. Light emitting diode tech (LED) is a much more efficient source of light that keeps your energy bill low. In brief, a LED chip emits light from a process called electroluminescence. This means that a 200W LED light produces more bright light than a 200W Metal Halide. Plus, it does not heat up nearly as much as old light sources did.
On average, LED floodlights last for over ten years of continuous usage. You can install them on walls and any kind of supports with ease. Of course, different manufacturers use different drivers and materials as well. Most likely, you will have to do some research before finding the best product that suits your needs.
2. High mast lights
High mast lighting uses a tall pole between 4 to 8 meters with fixtures attached to the top. For clarity, installing high mast lights require a bit of knowledge. In fact, tilting the fixtures that point to the basketball court incorrectly could cause either one of the following undesirable outcomes:
- glare and light pollution
- insufficient light distribution or lighting uniformity
Usually, high mast lighting is the ideal solution to cover a large area. When the pole is short, around 4 meters, the lighting layout includes more light poles around the recreational field. Instead, with a tall pole, you can install more powerful fixtures to illuminate one or more basketball courts at the same time. For example, by mounting a luminaire ring on the very top.
Each high mast can hold six to eight lights at once. But the exact number will depend on expert analysis that will reveal the suitable load for each pole.
Although some light poles still mount Metal Halide or HPS bulbs, retrofitting or installing LED lights is a better choice. Since LED lights are more efficient than traditional lights, they do not require such tall light poles. This detail can save you some budget during the planning of a new high mast lighting system.
3. Dimmable lights
Dimming is a sought-after feature to customize the outdoor basketball stadium. Generally speaking, dimmable lights create a relaxing atmosphere. As a side effect, the lights are too blinding for the players. And they cause less light pollution.
There are all sorts of dimming types of lights. For example, main dimming, Dali dimming, and wireless dimming fixtures. But the standard kind of dimming light most basketball stadium owners use is the main dimming type. In this case, you will have to use a dimmer switch or touch a dimmer panel near the light source.
When selecting a dimmable light, compatibility is the biggest issue. The dimmable light must be compatible with the dimmer switch. Then again, you could opt for Dim to Warm light bulbs. Thanks to this new tech, the light color gets warmer as it dims down.
Dimming must not interfere with lighting uniformity and lux levels. To be precise, the inner positions that shoot near the basket or from the end of the free-throw lane must see their target clearly. Otherwise, long shots and dribbling while on offense can become troublesome.
The center is the tallest player on the team. Often standing with their back to the basket, centers need enough light on the key to stop the offense or perform a slam dunk.
4. Color-changing lights
Also known as RGB lights, these products are a fun way to make the basketball court look better. Or more appealing to kids that need to learn the basics. Often, you can combine color-changing lights and fog machines for special effects. Especially before the game begins and the arena welcomes the spectators.
Making a grand entrance onto the basketball court is not the only application for RGB lights. For clarity, you can add RGB strips to outline the backboard or the benches.
After you set up the RGB lights, you can change them to any color you desire. Every product uses a wireless control device or app on your smartphone. With time, you can also learn to create some profile to match the team’s colors whenever they win or score a point.
During training, you can set the lights to change color near the end of the session. In this way, the lights become a visual cue for specific activities and drills. You can find new creative ways to teach offensive and defensive strategies as well.
5. Solar string lights
If no power outlet is available near the basketball arena, consider using solar string lights. Although these lights may not be bright enough to meet the lighting standards, they provide enough light for training and emergency lighting.
You can put string lights around the rectangular fence to give the outdoor arena a fancy ambient. Moreover, one of the perks of these products is low energy consumption. Plus, you do not need to wire them anywhere, thus meddling with the eventual underground wiring system.
Solar string lights are ideal for a backyard basketball court. Simply put, they are the perfect solution for any area without access to a power grid. As long as you can hang them and position the solar panel in a sunlit spot, they will work just fine.
How to select the lights for an outdoor or backyard basketball court?
1. Waterproof lighting
Because the lights remain outdoors, you need to choose a waterproof light. Most product specs will use the IP rating system to help you decide which one is better. In detail, the Ingress Protection (IP) rating informs you about the protection against solid objects or liquids. Usually, choosing an IP 67 or higher is the best solution for an outdoor basketball court.
The first digit on the light’s IP rating is for protection against solids. An IP 67 or 68 is dust-tight. Instead, the second digit is about waterproofness. For example, an IP 40 is not waterproof. An IP 67 is water-resistant. The difference between an IP 67 and an IP 68 lies in their structure. The higher the second digit, the longer the product resists rain and snow.
When you put a non-waterproof light in an outdoor arena, the light might still work. But the material will deteriorate much faster than expected. The copper, the soldering, and everything else will eventually break. Eventually, the light will give out beyond repair.
2. Light shields
Installing a light shield is the fastest method to reduce light pollution. Unshielded light may look ugly from an aesthetic perspective. But shielding a light does more than merely improve the looks of the outdoor stadium.
The same light source with a shield lets you see better. Mainly because the light shield points the luminous flux in a specific direction. At the same time, shielding becomes a more energy-efficient solution. You stop wasting any light.
Light pollution is detrimental to the basketball court owner’s reputation. Several types of light pollution exist, including glare, which is a disruptive light that shines horizontally. In short, light shields prevent:
- light trespass
- unwanted shining onto nearby areas like streets and crossroads
- sky glow, a halo over inhabited areas caused the scattering of light particles
3. Smart control
Automating your lights is one of the most impressive lighting control solutions you can deploy in your outdoor basketball arena. Depending on the product and smart control system, you can do it in more than one way.
You can approach this topic in several ways to meet your specific needs. For example, by installing switches or a centralized panel. Perhaps, you prefer to use an app and control the lights on your smartphone via Bluetooth.
With the help of an expert installing company, all sorts of solutions become available to you.
