Silicone Enables New Designs in Sports Lighting
In the world of sports, the quality of stadium lighting plays a crucial role in ensuring an optimal experience for both players and fans. For baseball specifically, quality sports lighting helps players track fast-moving balls accurately, reduces dark areas and shadows on the field that can lead to misjudged plays or injury, and enables fans both in the stadium and at home to better catch the action.
After many seasons of use, the Great Lakes Loons club leaders determined it was time for a field lighting upgrade of their home stadium, Dow Diamond.
The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team and a Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Based in Midland, Mich., the Loons have developed a passionate fan base.
The first Great Lakes Loons game was played at Dow Diamond in 2007; since then, more than 3 million baseball fans have enjoyed watching the Loons at Dow Diamond.
After conducting extensive research into LED sports lighting manufacturers, the project leaders chose to partner with Musco Lighting, which has designed and installed advanced LED systems at numerous MiLB and MLB stadiums — including the original halogen lighting fixtures for the Great Lakes Loons.
Musco customized a state-of-the-art lighting system utilizing Dow SILASTIC™ MS-1002 Moldable Silicone technology in the secondary optics. This system delivered improved on-field light levels and uniformity, patented glare control, better reliability from its complete system design, and reduced energy consumption. Other benefits of the silicone material include high thermal stability; better heat and intrinsic UV resistance than optical grade plastics; excellent surface feature replication; easily molded into complex-shaped optics; and resistant to impact damage.
The new system also includes special effects capabilities with color-changing technology and light-to-music synchronization to create light shows during player introductions and to celebrate home runs and Loons wins.
The newly installed LED lighting system at Dow Diamond has significantly enhanced the playing and viewing experience for the Great Lakes Loons and their fans.
This project also highlighted a unique partnership between the Loons, Dow, and Musco — showcasing the power of collaboration to support the evolving needs of sustainable stadiums with lighting systems that last. The moldable silicone technology component of Dow Diamond’s new lighting system is produced locally in Michigan by Dow, which is part of the lighting’s optical system and helps ensure the best possible light quality and uniform distribution across the field.
“Dow’s roots in Midland run deep, so being a part of the Loons’ evolving story in our community has been extremely fulfilling,” said Carlos Padilla II, head of global sports sponsorships at Dow. “Our recent collaboration with the lighting vendor and the Loons to develop enhanced lighting for Dow Diamond is an exciting next chapter in the story as we push together for more sustainable innovation. And being able to showcase the power of innovation and sustainability for Midlanders and visitors every inning is such a privilege.”
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