Bucks Showcase New Court

On Wednesday night at the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Bucks continued their offseason of change by unveiling a bold design for their new state-of-the-art playing surface at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks’ new Robert Indiana-inspired home court honors the team’s rich history in Milwaukee while looking confidently ahead to a promising future.

 

A renowned pop artist famous for his “LOVE” artwork, Indiana created the design for the Bucks court that was used at the MECCA Arena from 1977-87. Indiana’s original floor, with bright colors and a giant “M” flanking each side of the midcourt line, is recognized as one of the largest pieces of pop art ever produced and brought international recognition to Milwaukee as a progressive, forward-thinking city that appreciates art as much as it does sport.

 

The Bucks’ brand new home court at the BMO Harris Bradley Center takes inspiration from Indiana’s original pop art design, reproducing the world-famous “M’s” bracketing the midcourt line – this time in two shades of hand-stained Wisconsin hard maple – along with the simple, yet unmistakable “Milwaukee” adorning each baseline, just as in Indiana’s iconic work of original art. At center court is the Bucks logo, stripped down to the aggressive image of the eight-point white tail buck head that represents the powerful and focused approach of the team. Painted surfaces of the court are almost exclusively green, tying together all eras of the Bucks’ 46-year history.

 

“There are so many elements that go into each team’s identity including the logos, uniforms and court. The new design of the Bucks court has enabled the Bucks to add a visually powerful component to their identity for fans watching in person and on broadcast,” said Christopher Arena, NBA Vice President of Apparel, Sporting Goods & Basketball Partnerships.

 

The Bucks’ new state-of-the-art Nitropanel floor system makes its debut in the NBA and is FIBA-approved for international play. The floor system provides 61 percent shock absorption and 97 percent ball rebound, contrasted with the old floor that provided less than 20 percent shock absorption. This revolutionary Nitropanel technology is designed to reduce injuries and long-term fatigue for players. 

 

In addition, the court design includes several notable features that tangibly illustrate the organization’s ongoing commitment to being a positive cultural and community influence, the most fan-centric team in sports, and a hard-working, championship contender that proudly represents Milwaukee and Wisconsin on the global stage of the NBA.

 

• The Bucks’ new home court will be a one-of-a-kind living canvas for showcasing community art, with the southwest corner panel of the court featuring a local artist’s design. The first community art installation will appropriately feature a panel inspired by Robert Indiana’s original MECCA floor that has been provided by OurMecca.org.

 

• The Bucks will place the names of all MVP season ticket holders on the physical playing surface for the team’s home opener on Nov. 2. Thousands of MVP names will be included within the center line of the new playing surface for all season ticket holders of record as of Oct. 18, 2013, reinforcing the organization’s commitment of placing our fans at the center of everything we do. MVPs will be invited onto the court following the home opener to see their names and take photos.

 

• A representation of the Bucks’ 1971 Walter Brown NBA Championship trophy will adorn the mid-court apron as a tribute to Milwaukee’s world championship team and a constant reminder of the continuing championship expectations that are embraced by Bucks players, coaches and staff.

 

The new playing surface was produced by Action Floor Systems, a Mercer, Wis., family-owned and operated company for over 25 years. Each year, Action Floor Systems manufactures over 600 gym floors for schools, universities, YMCAs, fitness centers and professional teams worldwide. Action Floor Systems is the first hardwood flooring company to be certified as carbon negative in all its processes, thereby contributing to a cleaner and safer environment.

 

The playing floor was assembled, sanded and painted on site at the BMO Harris Bradley Center by ProStar Surfaces, Inc., the same Wisconsin-based company that has provided flooring services to the Bucks, Marquette University, the University of Wisconsin and other gymnasiums throughout the state for over 20 years.