Sports fans who enjoy the light shows growing more prominent in stadiums around the country won’t have to travel beyond the Upstate to get some lighted dazzle with their on-field razzle.

The Greenville Drive, the Minor League Baseball club, has invested in a new cutting-edge LED lighting system at Fluor Field. Intended to enhance the player and fan experience, the new lights make Fluor Field the first professional baseball park in South Carolina to use this particular LED system, considered the most advanced of its class, according to a news release from the ball club.

Installed this week by Ephesus Sports Lighting, the new lights replace the fluorescent white lights that formerly sat atop the six 125-foot light poles surrounding the stadium. Ephesus provided lighting systems for Super Bowls LIV, LIII, LII and XLIX; the 2020, 2019 and 2017 NCAA Football National Championship games; and the 2020, 2019 and 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the news release stated.

“The Greenville Drive and Fluor Field continually look for ways to deliver the best experience possible for our fans,” Greenville Drive General Manager Eric Jarinko, said in the release. “These new lights meet the same standards as all 30 Major League Baseball stadium standards and go above and beyond what’s required of Minor League Baseball parks.”

The new lights have many impressive advantages over the previous system:

  • Field Lighting: the LED lights meet MLB requirements established for major league ballparks (125-foot infield and 100-foot outfield footcandles), exceeding field light requirements for minor league ballparks.
  • Player Performance: LED lights provide a uniform light distribution that reduces shadows and improves visibility, ensuring that athletes can perform at their best. The comfort of the players is also enhanced as LEDs reduce glare and improve the overall playing conditions.
  • Control System: to add to the entertainment value of the fan experience, the lights can be programmed to shine in a multitude of colors and set to music, giving the appearance of “dancing” to a beat.
  • Sustainability: The new LED lights are environmentally friendly, reducing Fluor Field’s carbon footprint by using 80% less energy.

The LED lights make their public debut at Kringle Holiday Village, Dec. 8-10. Greenville Mayor Knox White will turn on the lights for the first time at 5:30 p.m. during opening festivities on Friday, Dec. 8, officially ushering in the Upstate’s largest family festival. To demonstrate their functionality and entertainment value, the lights will be programmed to synchronize with Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s holiday instrumental “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24.”

 

“Kringle Holiday Village is the perfect event to debut our new lights,” Greenville Drive President Jeff Brown said in the release. “The community can gather for a magnificent light show while supporting local charities in the process. It’s the spirit of the season wrapped into a perfect package.”

Kringle Holiday Village is organized in partnership between The Greenville Drive and the Rotary Club of Greenville, and all proceeds benefit charities.

The lights will be turned on at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 8. General admission is $12 and includes the lighting ceremony, live music and other activities with the festival. VIP tickets are $60 and includes access to a private VIP lounge, complimentary appetizers, express bar access, two drink tickets, a commemorative mug and single-day festival admission either Saturday or Sunday.

Tickets are available online.

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