Revolutionary LED glass flooring has been approved by the international basketball federation (FIBA) to be used in level 1 competitions later this year in October.
The move by the governing body will see future basketball events choose between wooden or glass floors, with the innovative new technology allowing enhanced interaction and engagement like interactive training, additional advertising, player tracking as well as displaying athletic achievements.
ASB MultiSports and ASB LumiFlex glass floorings have been selected by FIBA, sporting line on the flooring can either be turned on and off by a touchpad, providing efficiency and removing confusion as well as improving safety and performance.
FIBA, head of equipment & venue centre, Bart Prinssen, said: “We are excited to see innovations being accepted at more FIBA competitions.
“This change of rule certainly opens doors for more innovative products to join FIBA’s equipment and venue centre approval program.”
Player surveys and interviews were conducted by FIBA to understand users’ experiences and the Harlem Globetrotters played on the glass flooring in Dresden, Germany in 2017 as well as during the 2021 Ruhr Games in Bochum for 3×3 basketball.
Fans are also encouraged to visit Naismith Arena in the FIBA Museum which is on display to try it out at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mes, Switzerland.
ASB, CEO, Christof Babinsky, said: “We see FIBA as the global organisation to move basketball forward [and] for this we have a joint vision.
“We have developed a no-compromise sports floor with…the athlete[s] in mind.
“The glass floor features ceramic dots for grip, that provide completely equal levels of control across the surface without causing skin burn when falling…higher elasticity at equal ball rebound.
“FIBA level 1 is the most valuable approval in the world of indoor sports and enables our clients to hold end basketball tournaments, integrating unseen elements for audience entertainment and advertising.”
