The NBA stars will not be the only thing that attracts attention at the All Star
.
This weekend the league will use an innovative and groundbreaking glass field with LEDs that turns into a giant screen.
In it you can see statistics, advertising, graphics, effects and more, which could
transform the experience of basketball fans
.
Welcome to #NBAAllStar, where our state-of-the-art LED court will shine all weekend long at Lucas Oil Stadium!
pic.twitter.com/fpCmFm6oPv
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2024
The return of the East against the West, the highly anticipated 'battle of the sexes' in the three-point contest between
Stephen Curry
and
Sabrina Ionescu
, plus the record of participations of the star
LeBron James
with 20, are the main sporting attractions of the Game of the Stars at the 'Lucas Oil' stadium in Indianapolis, with capacity for 35,000 spectators.
And another will be right under the feet of the protagonists: specifically in the amazing and futuristic glass field with LEDs that will become a kind of giant screen of about 756 square meters.
Christof Babinsky, CEO of the German company ASB GlassFloor, responsible for the development of this innovative court, did not mince words and stated:
"People will be able to see a spectacle
. "
"With the All Star contests we will have the opportunity to put on animations and use the track to its maximum potential
," he defended.
Babinsky explained that the company is a family business, founded in 1965, that is known primarily as a supplier of squash courts and that his father began working with the idea of making them out of glass.
In 2015 they began to consider the possibility of including LEDs and video throughout the court, and in 2023 they experienced one of their greatest moments when their spectacular court was
used in Madrid during the U19 Women's World Cup
.
The different LED courts that the NBA will use during the famous All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
The images left many with their mouths open with a field that, for example, completely changed its appearance with the colors of the USA and Spain in the run-up to the final or that was also completely modified during the awards ceremony.
However, Babinsky explained that implementing his track involves a long process of argument to convince the parties involved, starting with the players.
"Was it difficult from when we had the idea to where we are now? Yes. Did people think we were completely crazy? Yes. Do people have all these prejudices that glass is shiny, transparent and that it breaks? Yes, the "It took us a long time to convince people that this was a good idea
," he explained.
"We believe this runway will be a success on a global scale primarily due to its safety properties beyond commercial opportunities
," he concluded.
In this sense, he highlighted that this glass court reduces the usual skin burns when a player ends up on the ground on a parquet surface.
Regarding the agreement with the NBA for this All Star, the company received the order about three months ago, installed the court last weekend and has been testing all these days to ensure that the software works without any problem.
"We have to control that (...) so that a basketball game does not become a video game
," he concluded.
With information from EFE