• The Volkswagen Arena is first stadium in Germany’s top soccer league to fully replace existing pitch lighting with Philips LED technology
• Flicker-free super slow-motion for HD TV and spectacular lighting effects for pre-match light shows
• New lighting system includes moveable spotlights that enhance the stadium entertainment experience

VfL Wolfsburg becomes the first top league soccer stadium to be lit with smart LED pitch lights supplied by Philips Lighting. An areial view of the stadium in Germany. (All photos courtesy of Philips Lighting)

Philips Lighting, a global leader in lighting, announced that VfL Wolfsburg is the first German soccer club to adopt connected LED pitch lighting from Philips Lighting for its stadium, the Volkswagen Arena, in Wolfsburg, Germany. As well as providing superior lighting quality, the pitch lighting and moving spotlights can synch with the stadium’s video screens and perimeter message displays, creating spectacular light effects that take stadium entertainment to a new level.

The new Philips ArenaVision LED pitch lighting system will be installed in the winter break and will be used for the first time at the home game against Hamburger SV on January 21, 2017.

The Volkswagen Arena will also be the first stadium in the Germany to incorporate movable spotlights with the Philips LED ArenaVision system. These can provide a splash of color and increased versatility for multi-purpose stadium use such as concerts and events.

VfL Wolfsburg soccer team competing against another team at the brightly lit Volkswagen Arena.

“We are glad to offer our fans and partners this innovative lighting technology in the Volkswagen Arena. VfL Wolfsburg strives to be a pioneer in the use of advanced and sustainable technology in professional soccer,” says VfL managing director Thomas  Röttgermann. Captain of the VfL Wolfsburg soccer team Diego Benaglio adds: “We are all familiar with the unique atmosphere of a football match under floodlighting. The new LED technology is sure to intensify this effect for the fans and players.”

Pitch lighting of the highest quality is needed for flicker-free super slow-motion and ultra-HD TV. With Philips ArenaVision LED technology, the visible flickering associated with
conventional lighting systems is a thing of the past. A further benefit is that the lighting can be switched on immediately, without a warm-up phase, to produce perfect and consistent
lighting. Also, it can be used to illuminate of parts of the pitch, for example for training or maintenance.

Exterior of the Volkswagen Arena.

Roger Karner, managing director of Philips Lighting DACH, explains: “Together with VfL

Wolfsburg, we aim to create the ultimate entertainment experience in the stadium, allowing fans to enjoy the match to the fullest – from arrival at the venue to the final whistle. The LED lighting technology meets the strict UEFA and Bundesliga standards for international TV broadcasters, enabling cameras to capture the smallest details and slightest movements of the players on camera.”

Furthermore, the new LED lighting system is more energy efficient compared to conventional lighting.

Additional facts:

• Philips Lighting has been illuminating large sporting events for around 80 years. The first pitch lighting system suitable for television was developed by Philips Lighting and taken into operation in 1967 at the Bökelberg Stadium in Mönchengladbach, Germany.
• As the global leader in LED and sports lighting, Philips Lighting is responsible for providing pitch lighting for major international sporting events at over 65% of all sports stadiums.
• 55% of the world’s most important soccer stadiums use pitch lights from Philips Lighting.
• 70% of soccer clubs in the English Barclays Premier League rely on Philips Lighting for their pitch lighting.