🏀 What Are the FIBA Lighting Standards for Professional Basketball Courts?

You're planning a basketball venue, but the lighting standards are confusing. You worry it might not meet FIBA rules.

FIBA defines strict lighting rules to ensure safe play, TV-quality broadcasting, and a professional experience. Standards cover illuminance, glare control, CRI, flicker, mounting height, and layout.

Whether you're upgrading a FIBA-approved stadium or designing a new court, these lighting guidelines will keep you compliant and camera-ready.

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🏗️ What are the FIBA court layout and facility size requirements?

Even with the best lighting design, ignoring court size and structural rules may lead to non-compliance or poor visibility.

FIBA specifies court dimensions, run-off areas, scorer’s table size, and ceiling height to ensure lighting performance and safety.

📐 Standard Court Dimensions (FIBA)

Parameter	Requirement
Court Length	28 meters
Court Width	15 meters
Playing Area (PPA)	19m × 32m
Total Playing Area	22m × 35m
Line Width	50mm (solid white)
Run-Off Area	≥2000mm wide, color contrast required

🧱 Facility Layout Requirements

Element	FIBA Standard
Scorer’s Table	≥6000mm long, 800mm high, raised at least 200mm
Spectator Seating	At least 20m from court boundary lines
Ceiling Height	Minimum 7m clearance from court floor

Clear zones reduce glare and ensure lighting is unobstructed. Misalignment may compromise compliance.

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📈 How does mounting height affect FIBA lighting standards¹?

💡 Luminaire Layout and Installation Guidelines

Proper layout ensures even coverage and glare control. FIBA favors specific setups for indoor and outdoor courts.

🏟️ Indoor Basketball Courts

🔧 Layout Types

Layout Style	Description	Recommended For
Side Lighting	Fixtures along court sides. Best EH and EC but needs aiming to reduce glare.	Class I & II competition
Top Lighting	Fixtures above court. Economical, lower vertical performance.	Class III training use
Hybrid Layout	Combines both for flexibility and even light.	Multi-purpose venues

⬆️ Mounting Height

Competition Class	Height Range	Notes
Class I	12–16m	Ideal for televised matches
Class II	8–12m	Suitable for regional matches
Class III	6–8m	Good for school or recreational courts

Confirm designs using DIALux or AGi32 to ensure EH, EV, EC, and uniformity targets.

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🌌 Outdoor Basketball Courts

🚧 Pole Configuration Options

Layout Option	Description
6-Pole Setup	3 poles per sideline, 6–8m high, ~2m setback. Best coverage.
4-Pole Setup	2 poles per sideline, cost-effective, for non-professional use.

🛡️ Environmental Protection

• Fixtures must have IP65 or higher.
• Add anti-glare shields in residential areas.
• Consider motion sensors or timers for parks and public courts.

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💡 What lighting levels does FIBA require for top-tier competitions?

FIBA sets specific lux values for horizontal and vertical light. TV events demand high EC (camera-facing vertical) and EV (all-angle vertical).

🔦 FIBA Illuminance Requirements

Area (Zone)	EC (Camera Vertical)	EV (Omni Vertical)	EH (Horizontal)
PPA (19×32m)	Avg 2000 lux, Emin/Eavg ≥0.8	Avg 1700 lux, Emin/Eavg ≥0.8	1500–3000 lux, Emin/Eavg ≥0.8
TPA (22×35m)	Avg 2000 lux, Emin/Eavg ≥0.7	Avg 1700 lux, Emin/Eavg ≥0.7	1500–3000 lux, Emin/Eavg ≥0.7

Uniformity = Emin / Eavg, as per FIBA. Some use Emin / Emax for secondary reference.

📋 Class Summary Table

Class	Use Case	EH Range	EV Min	Uniformity (Emin/Eavg)
Class I	International / TV Broadcast	1500–3000lx	≥1700lx	≥0.8
Class II	National / Semi-Pro	≥750lx	≥500lx	≥0.7
Class III	Training / Recreation	≥200lx	≥200lx	≥0.5

EC = Light towards main camera. EV = Light from multiple directions.

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😎 How does FIBA control glare?

FIBA limits glare by using optics, angles, and avoiding camera or player light intrusion.

👁️ Glare Control Standards

Control Element	Requirement
Beam Angle (Vertical)	≤60°
Camera Zone Clearance	No direct beams into camera lenses
Surface Reflection	Matte surfaces only, avoid shiny floors

✅ Glare Reduction Tips

• Use asymmetric optics to direct beams sideways.
• Install fixtures outside camera angle (avoid 0°–20° zone).
• Use matte floor finishes to prevent reflections.

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🔬 What technical lighting specs does FIBA require?

Fixtures must support broadcasting needs with high CRI, no flicker, and fast restart.

📐 Required Specs

Metric	FIBA Standard
Flicker Factor	≤1% (supports 240fps+ video)
CRI (Color Index)	≥Ra 80, Ra 90+ for broadcast
CCT (Color Temp)	4000–6000K (5500–6000K recommended)
Beam Angle Control	≤60°, asymmetric optics preferred
Instant Restart	<1s, no flicker or color shift
IP Rating (Outdoor)	≥IP65

Restart time must not affect CCT or flicker profile.

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🔢 How do you calculate the number of LED fixtures?

Use area size and target lux level to find required lumens, then divide by LED efficacy.

🧮 Fixture Calculation Example (Class I)

1. Court Area (PPA): 19m × 32m = 608 m²
2. Target EH: 2500 lux
3. Total Lumens: 2500 × 608 = 1,520,000 lm
4. LED Efficiency: 150 lm/W
5. System Power: 1,520,000 ÷ 150 = 10,133W
6. Fixture Size: 600W → ~17 fixtures

⚠️ Note: This is a simplified estimation intended for rough planning. Actual fixture count may vary based on:

• Mounting height and aiming angles
• Overlap to eliminate edge dimming
• Room reflectivity, floor finish, and ceiling structure
• Required uniformity (Emin/Eavg), EC and EV (camera-based metrics)

✳️ Always apply a maintenance factor (typically 0.8) to account for long-term depreciation and losses.

🔍 For compliance with FIBA Class I–II, final design must be verified using simulation tools like DIALux, AGi32, or Relux to evaluate beam spread, vertical illuminance, glare risk, and actual performance on the court.

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✅ Conclusion

FIBA lighting standards¹ require careful planning—from lux levels to glare and color accuracy. Use certified fixtures and simulate before installation to stay compliant and deliver high-quality visibility.

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