For the first time in sporting history, a Champions League final was held on the ASB GlassFloor. The glass video sports floor from the Bavarian medium-sized company caused quite a stir at the Final Four of the Basketball Champions League from April 26th to 28th at the Belgrade Arena in Belgrade, Serbia, captivating athletes, fans, and officials alike. Once again, the ASB GlassFloor was able to showcase its qualities in various aspects.
Foremost was the significantly improved playability of the floor. As seen previously at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup 2023 in Madrid or at the NBA All-Star Night 2024 in Indianapolis, athletes from participating teams spared no praise for the spectacular surface, particularly highlighting its greater elasticity and resulting ankle protection compared to conventional playing surfaces.
Additionally, the ASB GlassFloor demonstrated its versatility as a venue for both business and sport. Thanks to the robustness of the glass surface, seamless transitions between business events and sports activities were possible. The FIBA utilized the glass playing surface as an event space for special honors, catering, and allowing distinguished guests onto the court, followed immediately by team training sessions. In between, the glass floor only required a brief cleaning with a broom and was ready for sporting excellence once again.
Furthermore, another strong feature of the ASB GlassFloor celebrated its premiere during this weekend. For the first time in an official game, live statistics were displayed on the playing surface. This was made possible through the use of the specially developed interactive software solution, GlassCourt OS, seamlessly integrating data from various third-party sources, including player and ball tracking systems, sports and health measurement systems, and training applications. The software serves as a central hub processing real-time data and transforming it into visually stunning and informative graphics displayed directly on the glass sports floor.
“We are very grateful to FIBA for allowing the Basketball Champions League to take place on the ASB GlassFloor. It was a bold move. We are delighted that everything worked out so wonderfully. The ASB GlassFloor has arrived in the Champions League. The entire ASB GlassFloor team can be proud of this accomplishment,” says Christof Babinsky, Managing Director of ASB GlassFloor.
Within 24 hours, an 800 square meter glass floor area was assembled in the Belgrade Arena, with approximately 600 square meters comprised of the full LED glass video floor. It took just twelve hours to dismantle the floor after the event.
Photo: Basketball Champions League