Pole Height, Crossarms & EPA Wind-Load Basics
Sports lighting poles must be sized so the wind load on the fixtures and crossarms stays within the pole's rated capacity for the site's wind speed. That wind load is measured as effective projected area (EPA), and the total EPA of everything on a pole must stay within the pole's rating at the local design wind speed. Pole height, separately, is chosen to balance aiming and glare control against structural cost — ranging from about 18 feet for courts to 100+ feet for stadiums.
This guide explains why height matters, what EPA means in plain terms, the role of crossarms, and why "just one more fixture" is the single most dangerous shortcut in pole design.
Why pole height matters
Height is an optical and structural trade-off. Taller poles let fixtures aim downward at a steeper, lower-glare angle and spread light over a broader area with smoother overlap — better uniformity, less glare. But they cost more, require larger foundations, and carry higher wind loads. Too short, and fixtures must aim at shallow, glary angles into players' eyes; too tall, and structural cost climbs without proportional benefit. The right height comes from the sport, the field size, and the class of play.
| Facility | Typical mounting height |
|---|---|
| Courts (tennis, pickleball, basketball) | ~18–25 ft |
| Fields (baseball, football, soccer) | ~60–100 ft |
| Stadiums / high-mast | 100+ ft |
EPA in plain terms
Every fixture and crossarm presents a surface for the wind to push against — its effective projected area, or EPA. A pole is rated to carry a certain total EPA at a given design wind speed. The rule is simple and absolute: the combined EPA of all fixtures plus crossarms mounted on a pole must stay within that rated EPA at the site's wind speed, calculated per ASCE 7. Wind speed varies by region (and is higher in hurricane-prone areas), so the same fixtures can be fine on one site and over the limit on another.
Crossarms count too
Crossarms are not just brackets — they position fixtures at the right height and aiming angle, and they add their own EPA to the pole's load. A complete structural check sums the EPA of the fixtures and the crossarms, not the fixtures alone. The fixture EPA, the crossarms, the pole, and the foundation are all designed together as one system.
The "one more fixture" trap
The most common — and most dangerous — mistake in the field is adding a fixture to an existing pole without rechecking EPA. Each added fixture increases total EPA, and if that pushes the total past the pole's rating, the pole can fail in a windstorm, bringing fixtures down. This is why any fixture addition, and any pole reuse during a retrofit, requires a fresh EPA/wind-load check. It is a safety non-negotiable, not a design preference. Duvon coordinates fixture EPA with pole and foundation design on every project.
Frequently asked questions
What is EPA on a light pole?
Effective projected area — the surface the wind pushes against on each fixture and crossarm. The total on a pole must stay within the pole's rated EPA at the site's design wind speed, per ASCE 7.
How tall should sports lighting poles be?
About 18 ft for courts up to 60–100+ ft for fields and stadiums. Taller mounting improves aiming and uniformity but costs more and carries higher wind loads.
What do crossarms do?
They position and aim fixtures at the correct height and angle, and they add their own EPA to the pole's total wind load.
Why can't I just add one more fixture?
It increases total EPA. If that exceeds the pole's rating at the site's wind speed, the pole can fail in a storm — so any addition requires re-checking EPA.
Does pole height affect glare?
Yes — taller poles allow steeper downward aiming that keeps the bright source out of players' sightlines, reducing glare while improving uniformity.
Ask Duvon to run the EPA and pole/foundation check with your free photometric design. Request it at duvonlighting.com/free-quote.