This will be big, this will be spectacular: Fans of FC Bayern Basketball can experience a world premiere at the Bundesliga opening on September 29th (8:30 PM) at the BMW Park. Thanks to the commitment of the new FCBB mobility partner, BMW Munich, world champions Isaac Bonga, Niels Giffey, and Andreas Obst, along with their colleagues under head coach Pablo Laso, won't have a red carpet rolled out for them, but they will have a revolutionary high-tech video sports floor, the installation of which began at the beginning of the week at the BMW Park. Never before has an official basketball league game been played on an LED glass floor.
With this ASB video sports floor, which replicates the original playing surface using LED marking lines located beneath the floor, the presentation of an indoor sports event is taking on a new dimension. It also allows for the incorporation of visual digital animations, graphics, image spots, and entertainment. The eagerly anticipated event on September 29th is also the first flagship project of the partnership between BMW Munich and FC Bayern Basketball, which has been in place since July 2023. The partnership aims for sporting success, sustainable mobility, social engagement, and a premium experience for the spectators at the BMW Park.
Döpke: "BMW Leading the Way Technologically and in the Visitor Experience"
According to league regulations, the use of the Glassfloor has theoretically been possible for some time, especially since the risk of injury is significantly lower due to the joint-friendly "LumiFlex" floor compared to conventional surfaces. The international federation Fiba had already approved the use of LED glass floors starting from October 1, 2022, through a rule change last year.
Now, in the German Basketball League (BBL), this innovation is being used for the first time ever in a league competition of the world's best indoor sport during the match between the German Cup winners and the Mitteldeutscher BC. Previously, the floor was first used in competition during the Women's U19 Basketball World Cup last July. The Harlem Globetrotters were the first basketball team to play on the ASB floor during a show match in 2017.
Displaying Graphics and Real-time Data
"We are thrilled about the commitment of our partner BMW, who is making this spectacular event possible," says FCBB Managing Director Marko Pesic. "I've been aware of this technological innovation for some time, and I can only say to our fans: come and see this, come to the arena because it will be a unique experience! Once again, a big thanks to BMW for presenting this highlight to our fans. Our players, who got a first impression of this promising indoor floor technology at our successful Meet & Greet event in the BMW World last week, will also be excited."
Bernd Döpke, Head of BMW Munich, says, "We entered into our partnership with FC Bayern Munich Basketball with the promise of further developing the BMW Park into a sports and event arena that is an attraction within and for the sports city of Munich. The first league game in the BMW Park on this high-tech floor is an absolute highlight in this regard and impressively demonstrates that BMW is taking new technological and visitor experience paths, assuming a pioneering role."
Grip and Absorption
The "ASB GlassFloor" was developed in Bavaria (headquartered in Stein a.d. Traun). In addition to the visual graphics displayed across the entire playing surface, real-time data such as player and ball tracking systems can seamlessly be shown. The ASB GlassFloor consists of two 5 mm thick safety glass panels laminated with a safety film. The glass is supported by a specially designed LED display mounted on aluminum elements. This floor provides very uniform and athlete-optimized elasticity and shock absorption. The deeply etched surface with embedded ceramic dots ensures the right grip.
Tester Harris Enjoys It
Bayern forward Elias Harris recently got a firsthand look at the video sports floor during a visit to the ASB headquarters. He says, "I had no prior expectations, and I didn't think you could play on a glass court. But it's really fun, you have grip, and a rough landing feels almost soft. I'm looking forward to this event at the BMW Park."
The start of Bayern's journey in the easyCredit BBL against Syntainics MBC is also the first official game in the fully renovated BMW Park. They will also begin their EuroLeague campaign there with a home game against Alba Berlin on October 5th (8:30 PM), which promises to be an exciting derby.