A year ago, the Big 12’s unique court design for its men’s and women’s conference basketball tournaments drew a lot of attention, mostly negative. Undaunted, the league has opted for another upgrade, this one a first of its kind in college sports.
The conference has partnered with ASB GlassFloor to use LED floors for both conference tourneys set for next month at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
According to a news release, this will be the first use of this technology for official competition in the US. It had previously been used during parts of the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend and is used in the EuroLeague and some FIBA-sanctioned events overseas.
“ASB’s GlassFloor is a next-generation, high-performance sports floor that meets the standards of modern hardwood courts,” the release said. “Integrated LED technology beneath the playing surface unlocks dynamic, interactive digital graphics and capabilities impossible on traditional courts.”
The court will make it debut at the Big 12 women’s basketball tournament, which runs March 4-9, and continue its usage for the men’s tourney March 10-14. According to the release, visual effects displayed on the court could include:
- Dynamic court designs
- Shot charts
- Interactive games for fans during timeouts
- Immersive animations following key plays and moments
“I’m an old school guy, but this has me thinking of new school ways, and from what I’ve seen and heard, this is the wave of the future,” Kansas coach Bill Self said in the release.
