• Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium is the first in France to use dynamic LED pitch lighting with moving color spots to elevate the fan experience
• This innovative combination adds new levels of functionality, providing the stadium with the capacity to offer customizable lighting experiences for a diverse range of events from football matches to concerts and more
• The new Philips ArenaVision LED pitch lighting meets the latest standards of sports federations and international broadcasters

Suresnes, France - Philips Lighting (Euronext Amsterdam ticker: LIGHT), a global leader in lighting, today announced that the stadium lighting in Parc Olympique Lyonnais (Parc OL) will change to LED lighting. The 59,286-capacity stadium - host to French Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais - is the first stadium in France to integrate dynamic LED pitch and grandstand lighting with moving entertainment color spots. This combination offers exceptional pitch lighting at sporting events, and the ability to enrich the fan experience through dazzling light shows during a diverse range of entertainment events from pre-match and half time shows to concerts and much more.

"With the implementation of the LED lighting technology and control technology developed by Philips Lighting at Parc OL, we will continue to develop and invest in the stadium as the key event venue in the Lyon metropolitan area,” said Xavier Pierrot, stadium manager at Parc OL. “We want to offer a whole new dimension to the experience of our spectators. This investment demonstrates once again the commitment of Parc OL to be one of the world's recognized venues for the organization and staging of major international sports and entertainment events.” 

Olympique Lyonnais is one of the most popular football teams in France, regularly engaged in European competitions. Given that the new Philips ArenaVision LED pitch lighting system meets the latest standards of sports federations and international broadcasters, fans at home and in the stadium will be able to follow every detail of the game in ultra-high definition, appreciating the slightest gestures and emotions of the players in real-time and in super slow-motion replays, also available in the Parc OL app. This is because the LED technology overcomes the flicker commonly associated with older, conventional lighting systems.

Unlike conventional pitch lighting which can be slow to reach full brightness, Philips ArenaVision LED pitch lighting is instant. This allows clubs to quickly adapt the lighting to their needs, for instance by dimming or switching off lighting so that selected parts of the pitch are lit for training or maintenance. Furthermore, the lighting is fully programmable and easy to control, allowing users to create spectacular light shows adding to the pre-match excitement and the fan experience. The integration of Philips Entertainment Lighting moving color spots – already used effectively at the Amsterdam Arena and Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg – is a first for France. It will not only add to the fan experience but also make the stadium an even more attractive venue for hosting other sports and entertainment events.

"Dramatic light shows may be created using the combination of the Philips ArenaVision LED pitch lighting system and moving color spots. Through this innovative lighting system, we are contributing to the development of Parc OL,” said Christophe Guidon, Public sales director for Philips Lighting in France. “We are proud of this collaboration to create new standards for both the stadium experience and viewers on TV. This technology, synonymous with durability and extreme flexibility, paves the way for a new standard for sports lighting and raises the bar higher for stadiums around the world.”

The pitch lighting itself comprises: 260 Philips ArenaVision LED gen2 fixtures; 20 Philips Vari-Lite VL6000 moving color projectors; 66 Philips ClearFlood Large fixtures (used in the grandstands) – all of which are controlled by Philips Strand NEO control and network system. The implementation of the LED lighting will be ready for Lyon’s first match of the French football season on August 5, 2017.

Notes to editors:

• The Philips ArenaVision LED pitch lighting is the result of the expertise of the Philips Lighting R&D center based in Miribel (near Lyon). The Parc OL project was assigned to Philips Lighting and a consortium of Spie, Serpollet and Cobalt.
• Philips Lighting has been lighting major sporting events for more than 60 years.
• Philips Lighting is the world leader in LED and sports lighting and is responsible for the pitch lighting for more than 65 per cent of stadiums used for major international sports events.
• More than 60 per cent of the stadiums used by football league clubs in France are floodlit by Philips Lighting.
• 55 per cent of the world's main football stadiums contain Philips Lighting technology.

Photo Credits

©Parc OL / Populous / Intens-Cité / Paul Thouvenin