St. James' Park Becomes Britain's Brightest

Football supporters are guaranteed to see St. James' Park in a new light during the 2014/15 season after newly-installed floodlights made the stadium officially Britain's brightest.

As well as upgrades on all existing lighting above the East and Milburn stands over the summer months, 342 new floodlights have also been fitted at the Leazes and Gallowgate ends to take the stadium from 1,350 lux (the standard unit to measure illuminance) to 2,000 lux - around 40 times brighter than an average living room.

The upgrades take the stadium well beyond UEFA's new minimum required standard of 1,650 lux, which has been set as part of fresh international TV rights holder agreements and to satisfy continuing advancements in broadcasting and viewing technology.

While supporters inside the stadium will notice slightly improved lighting levels and the new floodlight stacks around the roof, TV audiences will enjoy a much-enhanced viewing experience, with new electric ballast lighting significantly reducing flicker in comparison to the older, simpler magnetic ballast floodlights.

Eddie Rutherford, head of facilities at Newcastle United, said: "The new floodlights will provide lighting levels well above other arenas in the UK and Europe, which will not only benefit players and spectators inside the stadium but also the millions who watch the Premier League on television globally.

"From a technical standpoint, they represent another attractive element to what is already a very special stadium for international broadcasters and we hope this will lead to even more new and existing fans being able to watch the team regularly around the world."