Bright lights necessary for TV production

The bright lights at the Tórsvøllur national football stadium are becoming a bit too much for some residents in the area.

Last week, Magnus Hansen, who lives near Tórsvøllur, called on the City Council and FSF (the Football Association) to cut down on stadium light usage when they are not being used, as this was starting to look like light pollution.

He says that at a recent international game, the bright lights stayed on for three and a half hours after the match.

Lights improve picture quality

Virgar Hvidbro, chief secretary of FSF explains that when the lights are on full power, they emit 1,400 lux.

“This strong light is needed for the optimal picture quality for the TV crews,” he says. “TV rights cash makes up an important part of the FSF budget, and I’m glad that we started using our lamp posts when we did, because otherwise we would not have received any TV rights.”

Lights go on and on

But the lights are not only on during international football games while the cameras are rolling.

They remain lit at full power for two to three hours before game start, and they are also kept on at full power for a moment the day before the game.

This is done to allow the players to get a feel for the circumstances, says Hvidbro. Asked about Magnus Hansen’s claim that the lights were recently kept on for three-and-a-half hours, he says that the light intensity is normally lowered by 25 percent once the match is over.

“But I cannot rule out some tumble from our side in this case,” says Hvidbro.

Translated by prosa.fo