Not hardwood or rubber surfacing: Is this the future of basketball court surfaces?

Since the very start of basketball, the game has been played on hardwood surfaces. There have been a few historic attempts to introduce a new surface type - such as rubber - but none have been successful, until now.

Earlier this year a new alternative was trialled in the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game. The surface was created by German company ASB GlassFloor, an LED glass court that brings all sorts of new possibilities for the game.

The court is constructed from two layers of laminated safety glass, each measuring 5mm thick. Although the glass is opaque, LED panels will allow organisers to give courts a different look for each event and even display in-game stats, replays and video content.

Will a glass court be used in the NBA?

For organisations, the ASB GlassFloor technology offers countless new possibilities. In a practice session, the ‘screen’ can be used to display plays on the floor or display player-tracking information. From a practical standpoint, the surface visuals can be easily changed to adapt for the requirements of different competitions.

The new technology has already be utilised in Europe, where Bayern Munich and Panathinaikos Athens play on glass courts. In the US, Kentucky used one during October’s ‘Big Blue Madness’ event to kick-start the Wildcats’ season.

In terms of the ‘feel’ of the court, players have been impressed by how similar it is to the traditional hardwood. The glass surface supposedly has more give and flexibility that wood, helped by a spring-action layer housed beneath the LED panelling. The glass features a dotted ceramic coating that provides the necessary grip, while glass generally avoids the ‘dead spots’ and other irregularities that are found in wooden courts.

ASB GlassFloor managing director Chris Thornton spoke to AP about the new technology and insisted that glass courts are the future for the NBA.

“I use this analogy a lot: We’re at the initial stages of the iPhone being launched,” Thornton said. “Way back when Apple did that, the design of the hardware has changed, but more importantly the original iPhone was just a phone, a text device and music player. Now you’re running your entire life and communicating to the world on it. I see this in the same regard.”

“There’s a stigma about the glass: ’Oh my gosh, it’s going to break, it’s harder, people are going to break the glass, they’re going to fall through it,‘” Thornton said. “It’s actually quite the opposite.”

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