Oakland University unveils new blacktop-esque floor
Of the legion of college basketball programs who have tried to bolster their brand by installing distinctive new floors, only a few have actually managed to improve the look of their court.
Count Oakland University among those.
The new blacktop-style court that the Golden Grizzlies unveiled this week manages to successfully straddle the line between memorable and garish. All that’s missing is a chain-link fence around the court and chains instead of nets.
“It’s branding our program,” Coach Greg Kampe told the Oakland Press. I know that when our games are on TV, no matter where you are in the country, when you turn that game on, you’re going to know it’s Oakland University immediately when you see the floor. I’m really excited about that.”
The trend toward distinctive court designs began in 2010 when Oregon unveiled a new fir-tree lined court. More schools seem to follow suit every offseason, from Long Beach State’s palm trees, to George Washington’s D.C. monuments, to Florida International’s beach theme.
Amazingly, Oakland isn’t even the first Division I program to go with the blacktop-style look. Central Florida did it to mixed reviews two years ago.
So what Oakland lacks in originality it makes up for with a nice design. It’s atypical, but it’s an improvement.
– – – – – – –
Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
