Does anyone remember Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 for the thrilling ending between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers or for the Blackout in the 3rd quarter?
Super Bowl XLVII is fondly called the Blackout Bowl because early in the third quarter as the 49ers were mounting its comeback a partial power outage occurred in the SuperDome stadium in New Orleans that left players, fans, coaches, cheerleaders and everyone else in the dark for 34 minutes.
In an effort to prevent this from ever happening again, the Minnesota Vikings who will host next year’s Super Bowl game at the brand new U.S. Bank Stadium is working with power and cooling management vendor Eaton to use its Ephesus LED Sports Lighting System.
The Ephesus sports lighting light-emitting diode (LED) and controls system will actually illuminate the next three Super Bowl games scheduled for 2018 in Minneapolis, 2019 in Atlanta and 2020 in Miami. Ephesus features does double duty as it can enhance the viewing experience for fans in the stadium and those watching in the comfort of their own home. Eaton’s LED technology will also be used for the half-time show, and, according to Eaton reduces energy consumption by as much as 75 per cent.
Eaton’s Ephesus solution provides optimal lighting more uniformly on the playing surface. The system is also maintenance-free for stadium operators.
The Eaton Ephesus system was used during Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 when the Seattle Seahawks blew its chance at back-to-back championships when quarterback Russell Wilson threw an interception from the one-yard line instead of handing it off to its star running back Marshawn Lynch. The New England Patriots won its fourth Super Bowl title under the Ephesus LED Lighting at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. It was the first professional football venue to install Eaton’s Ephesus LED lighting solution. During the match, the Ephesus system was able to control areas of the field and in some moments darkened the stadium to enhance the viewing experience for fans during the half-time show headlined by Katy Perry.
Mike Lorenz, president, Eaton’s Ephesus Lighting business, said it’s no coincidence that LED lighting was chosen by the venues that are continually being selected to host the biggest events in sports. Eaton’s digital lighting solution creates one of the best stages for performers and the optimal viewing experience for fans at the game and watching on high-definition television.
The University of Phoenix Stadium became an early adopter of the Eaton Ephesus solutions. But since Super Bowl XLIX, Eaton installed the Ephesus LED sports lighting system the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota, and Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas for the Texas Rangers baseball club. But it’s also being used for indoor sporting events such as NHL hockey at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Eaton will also bring the Ephesus for larger venues such as the NASCAR track at the Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.
The Ephesus solution is a new business venture for Eaton, who has mainly focused on power distribution and circuit protection along with backup power protection. Lighting and security solutions such as Ephesus is part of Eaton’s strategy to position itself as a global solutions vendor for critical electrical power management challenges.