Razzmatazz at ‘Orange and Blue’ new home

The new home of American professional soccer club FC Cincinnati – West End Stadium (US) – is all set to open in less than two months time with the team to play its first-ever home opener in the new stadium on May 16^th, 2021. However, the club officially lit the exterior stadium lights up for the first time on March 18^th, 2021.

The ‘FC Cincinnati’ stated that the LED-light fins that line almost the entire exterior of the stadium were illuminated during three separate shows recently.

Football Club Cincinnati, commonly known as FC Cincinnati, is an American professional soccer club based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The club plays in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The team succeeded the lower-division team of the same name and was announced on May 29^th, 2018, when MLS awarded an expansion franchise to Cincinnati. The team began MLS play on March 2^nd, 2019 with its first match against Seattle Sounders FC.

West End Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium that is under construction in Cincinnati, Ohio. It will be the home of FC Cincinnati, a Major League Soccer team that has been temporarily playing at Nippert Stadium in Ohio. It is supposed to get off the ground on May 16^th, 2021.

The dancing light displays caught the attention of locals and soon it was a rage on social media. There, the signature feature of FC Cincinnati’s new home stadium clearly made a great first impression.

There is much more beyond the LED fin lighting system of the stadium.
 

It’s lit 🔥 @WestEndStadium pic.twitter.com/RmCQd54TWp

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) March 19, 2021

 
Though some of the local people caught glimpses of pilots in recent weeks, the lighting system was turned on and programed for the first time on March 18^th. The LED fin lighting system will not be used regularly until mid-April.

The ‘FC Cincinnati’ further stated that most importantly, the stadium’s facade lighting system will be functional daily from dusk to 1 am. Following stadium events and on non-event days, the lighting will be at what’s described as a “passive level”.

The lights also face East over Central Parkway and toward Over-the-Rhine and Downtown. The lights face away from the directly adjacent West End neighborhood to prevent ambient lighting from flooding the neighborhood.

Officials informed that a number of animations will be rotated and customized based on gamedays, cultural activities and civic holidays and will be shown on the fins and by the lighting system.

The system is built around a quick-connect system and comes with a five-year parts and factory labor warranty. If at all a scenario arises that a light does go out, the maintenance team will be able to replace the same pronto.

Initially, it was decided that 513 fins would adorn the spiffy venue. However, later the number of fins was reduced as purse strings were tightened as part of cost-cutting measures at the arena. There are 385 total and 287 of the feature LED lighting.

However, FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding said that there are actually 513 fin portions or sections. So, in a way, FC Cincinnati still delivered on paying homage to the 513 area code through the number of fins.

Jeff Berding, President, FC Cincinnati, US, is a Member of Coliseum Strategic Committee. He is also one of the Speakers at the Coliseum Online Week EUROPE Worldwide which is underway from March 22^nd and will continue till March 26^th, 2021.

Fans inside West End Stadium will be able to experience the lighting effects as officials explained during a panel discussion held on March 18^th that ambient light from the LED fin system, as well as some direct light wrapping around the sides of the fins, should be visible while inside West End Stadium.

Small changes to the exterior of the facility are yet to come. Berding explained that the stadium’s name, which should more than likely include a naming-rights partner, will be permanently affixed to the side of the venue via separate lighted fixtures. These lighted fixtures will be placed in several places around the stadium’s exterior but won’t detract from the LED displays. The stadium’s name, as well as the FC Cincinnati name, will also be displayed by the LED fins.

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