FIBA debut full video floor with increased opportunities for commercial partnerships
March 29, 2023
There will be a striking new dimension to this year’s edition of the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup with the first ever use of an innovative glass flooring court in an official FIBA competition.
This exciting state of the art surface will provide a fantastic opportunity for some of the best young female players and teams in the world to become the first to play on it at a flagship FIBA event.
Rigorously tested and having gone through FIBA’s Equipment and Venue Centre Approval program, ASB GlassFloor systems have already been utilized in the 3×3 Pro League in the Netherlands and in pre-season German Bundesliga games, as well as other sporting competitions.
The introduction of the glass flooring court contributes strongly to the successful delivery of one of FIBA’s strategic priorities – namely, to ‘Enlarge the FIBAFamily’ by endorsing and encouraging innovation in basketball.
The LumiFlex court provided by ASB GlassFloor is a full video floor allowing for interactive applications as well as an enhanced show staging with additional options for advertising.
The flooring can also feature the ability to add player tracking to the video floor, making it possible to display live stats and athletic achievements on the floor, providing fans with enhanced interaction and better engagement.
FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis said: “It is with great pride that we look forward to witnessing the premiere of this glass flooring court on the world stage in July. This innovative surface, made possible by the recent rule change, clearly demonstrates FIBA’s appetite to embrace new technology and innovation.
“Delivering on one of our strategic priorities, it also underlines just how much FIBA is determined to advance our sport so we can make basketball even more appealing and engaging for fans, while also enhancing the experience for players.”
Meanwhile, Spanish Basketball Federation President Jorge Garbajosa was also quick to point out the benefits ahead of his nation hosting the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2023 in Madrid between July 15 and 23.
“We are very happy and supportive of the decision to use the glass flooring court for this important event, especially as we celebrate our 100th anniversary this year,” enthused Garbajosa.
“As a former player, I know the athletes getting ready to compete at the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup will now be even more excited knowing they will be the first to play at such a big event on this new state of the art surface.”
He added, “As the host nation, we know it can provide us with additional opportunities from a marketing and branding standpoint, both in terms of engaging with commercial partners and enhancing the fan experience.”
The use of the glass flooring court at the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2023 was made possible by the decision of the FIBA Central Board last year to implement a rule change to allow the use of LED glass in Level 1 competitions. The glass flooring will be used for all Final Phase games at the Palacio de los Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid.
