Sports Lighting Project Case Study Template: How to Document Your Installation for Marketing and Recruiting
A communications guide for athletic departments, parks departments, and facility owners documenting completed sports lighting projects for marketing, recruiting, fundraising, and community communications. Built around the structure that makes case studies useful and shareable.
Completed sports lighting projects are powerful marketing assets — for athletic department recruiting, parks department fundraising, and community goodwill messaging. Most facilities don’t document their projects in a structured way that makes the asset useful. This guide covers the case study template that transforms a completed project into shareable content.
The Eight Sections of a Sports Lighting Case Study
Section | Content |
1. Facility Overview | Sport, location, scale, who plays here |
2. The Challenge | Pre-project pain point (aged MH, neighbor complaints, NFHS sanctioning gap, Title IX inequity, etc.) |
3. Solution Specification | IES RP-6 class, fixture series, foot-candle target, key features (full cut-off, BAA-compliant, etc.) |
4. Photometric Outcomes | Measured foot-candle delivery, uniformity ratios, comparison to baseline |
5. Operating Cost Impact | Annual energy savings, eliminated relamping, total cost reduction |
6. Funding Stack | Bond, booster, utility rebate, federal grant breakdown |
7. Community / Athlete Outcomes | Streaming quality improvement, recruiting impact, neighbor relations resolution |
8. Lessons Learned | What surprised the team, what they’d do differently, what worked best |
Photo Documentation
Before-and-after photos are the most powerful case study element. Capture:
·Pre-installation: fixtures dim, ceremony night under aged lighting, streaming feed showing color quality
·During installation: pole erection, fixture install, crew at work
·Post-installation: night view, game action under new lighting, streaming feed comparison
·Photometric study printed and side-by-side with measured outcomes
·Community / spectator response (parents, players, alumni)
Useful Metrics to Capture
Metric | Why It Matters |
Pre vs post foot-candle measurement | Demonstrates engineering improvement |
Energy bill comparison (12 months pre and post) | Validates operating cost savings |
Streaming view count or quality scores | Community engagement impact |
Neighbor complaint count (pre and post) | Demonstrates dark-sky / spill compliance |
Recruiting success metrics (where measurable) | Athletic department justification |
Case Study Distribution
·Athletic department website / social media
·Booster club newsletter (especially when boosters helped fund)
·Parks department annual report
·School board presentations for future projects
·Local news coverage (sports section, education section)
·Conference / state association communications
·Industry publications (Athletic Business, LD+A Magazine, etc.)
For ROI documentation supporting case studies, see LED Sports Lighting ROI & Operating Cost. For sustainability framing, see Sports Lighting Sustainability Reporting.
Documenting a completed sports lighting project? Contact Duvon for case study coordination and recognition program participation →
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes in a sports lighting case study?
Eight sections: Facility Overview (sport, location, scale); The Challenge (pre-project pain point); Solution Specification (IES class, fixture series, key features); Photometric Outcomes (measured vs baseline); Operating Cost Impact (energy savings, eliminated relamping); Funding Stack (bond, booster, utility rebate breakdown); Community / Athlete Outcomes; Lessons Learned.
What photos should sports lighting case studies include?
Five photo categories: pre-installation (dim fixtures, ceremony night under aged lighting); during installation (pole erection, crew at work); post-installation (night view, game action, streaming feed comparison); photometric study printed alongside measured outcomes; community / spectator response (parents, players, alumni reactions).
What metrics matter most in case study documentation?
Five key metrics: pre vs post foot-candle measurement (engineering improvement); 12-month energy bill comparison (operating savings validation); streaming view count or quality scores (community engagement); neighbor complaint count pre and post (dark-sky compliance); recruiting success metrics where measurable (athletic department justification).
Where should sports lighting case studies be distributed?
Seven channels: athletic department website / social media; booster club newsletter (especially booster-funded projects); parks department annual report; school board presentations for future projects; local news (sports and education sections); conference / state association communications; industry publications (Athletic Business, LD+A Magazine).
Why document a completed sports lighting project as a case study?
Four reasons: athletic department recruiting (recruits and families notice facility quality); fundraising for future projects (case studies prove past investment success); community goodwill messaging (shows district / parks investment); industry recognition (case studies in industry publications support athletic department reputation and Title IX equity reporting).
Does Duvon participate in case study documentation?
Yes. Duvon coordinates case study photo capture during install, provides photometric study documentation for case study use, and supports athletic department / parks department / facility owner participation in industry recognition programs. Contact Duvon during the project planning phase to coordinate case study photo and content capture.