Court in New Orleans

[saturn93]

Here's what I could remember of different court used than the main court since 1993 (when I started recreating the floor, first drawing and then on computer.

1993 - no differences

1994 - USAir Arena, Landover MD (It sure looked misleading having games in Maryland with the state of Virginia at the center circle).

1995 - no differences

1996 - generic parquet floor, McNichols Arena, Denver CO (Black outside, Red lanes, "THE MILE HIGH CITY" around the top of plain circle, straight "DENVER" under circle).

1997 - The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills MI (Black outside with green "THE PALACE OF AUBURN HILLS" on bench side and opposite side, "MAC" (Mid-American Conference) logo on upper left/lower right portion of floor, plain colored basketball w/green lines, plain colored lanes). Alamodome, San Antonio TX (Floor was brought in from UTSA's arena).

1998 - Then-MCI Center, Washington DC (Generic blue w/"George Mason" on each baseline, MCI Center on upper right side, "George Mason University" in green on lower left side, "WASHINGTON DC" in center circle. United Center, Chicago IL (Big Ten Conference floor)

1999 - Same floor in Denver as 1996, KeyArena, Seattle, WA (Dark Blue outide, purplish lanes w/blue semi-circle, basketball w/sun rays in middle). Even Phoenix used Suns' court, you could still see a little of the Suns' logo on the lower left of the NCAA logo.

(In 1999, Boston had a white NCAA logo w/green lettering, and circled around the logo is "FLEETCENTER" above NCAA, and "BOSTON" under NCAA in white, and the circle was Celtic green. In 2003, the blue NCAA circle was used in the center.

2000 - The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills MI (Green outside w/white"Palace of Auburn Hills" on each baseline, small "MAC" logo on upper left/lower right. At the center circle was NCAA in large letters, with the "N" and the "A" a little outside the circle, "Midwest" was above the NCAA and inside circle, and "Regional" was under NCAA and inside circle).

2001 - Then-First Union Center, Philadelphia PA (Alternate floor - Blue outside w/"First Union CENTER" on each side, Atlantic 10 logo in middle. Alamodome, San Antonio TX, which was probably the toughest I have ever drawn on the computer, and is somewhat hard to describe. Red endlines with red/yellow/blue lines/designs on upper left/lower right corners, "Alamodome" on bench side of sideline, "San Antonio" with a picture of the Alamo with red/blue design completely under center circle. Blue lanes, UTSA logo on left side of center line, Southland Conference on right side of center line, "Midwest Regional" in a semi-circle in center circle. Just see it for yourself on Youtube (Type in +NCAA +Tournament +Illinois to see how ugly it was).

2002 - United Center, Chicago IL (Big Ten floor), American Airlines Center, Dallas TX (Generic floor), Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh PA (Duquesne floor from their arena).

2003 - St Pete Times Forum, Tampa FL (South Florida court from their arena, but put in SPTF logo on upper left by left bench).

2004 - Nationwide Arena, Columbus OH (Ohio State Floor w/Nationwide Arena under Ohio State logo. KeyArena, Seattle WA (Blue outside w/Seattle Center on endlines, green lane w/basketballs at FT line, "KeyArena" on upper right, Washington logo on lower left, NCAA logo in middle.

2005 - no differences

2006 - American Airlines Center, Dallas TX (generic floor, only in black, not in blue like 2002). The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills MI (Another ugly floor, pretty much from Oakland University's arena. See any clip of Northwestern St/Iowa to see it, with the completely black area [lane/inside the three point arc/outside). Then-The Arena in Oakland, Oakland CA (Generic floor).

2007 - Nationwide Arena, Columbus OH (Ohio State floor).

The drawing is something I like to do, but it takes a lot of time and work. I space it out over time, and I get it from pictures/games I see on TV/etc. It's not that I have a lot of time, but it is something that I like to do. We'll see what happens the rest of the tournament, and in the next few tournaments to come.

[DrBear]

I'm surprised nobody brought up one of the classics - in the 80s, the finals were scheduled in St. Louis, but the floor at the old St. Louis Arena (the Checkerdome) had been warped by a flood or something, and they had to truck in the floor from Assembly Hall in Indiana. Very strange seeing a game from St. Louis with the big Indiana map in the middle.

[saturn93]

I'm surprised nobody brought up one of the classics - in the 80s, the finals were scheduled in St. Louis, but the floor at the old St. Louis Arena (the Checkerdome) had been warped by a flood or something, and they had to truck in the floor from Assembly Hall in Indiana. Very strange seeing a game from St. Louis with the big Indiana map in the middle.

Thanks for reminding me about this. It was the 1978 Final Four. I do not remember seeing it live (I was only three at the time). Every time I see the highlights on ESPN, I'm wondering "Why did Indiana bring their floor." I guess we know why now.

[mjrbaseball]

I'm surprised nobody brought up one of the classics - in the 80s, the finals were scheduled in St. Louis, but the floor at the old St. Louis Arena (the Checkerdome) had been warped by a flood or something, and they had to truck in the floor from Assembly Hall in Indiana. Very strange seeing a game from St. Louis with the big Indiana map in the middle.

Thanks for reminding me about this. It was the 1978 Final Four. I do not remember seeing it live (I was only three at the time). Every time I see the highlights on ESPN, I'm wondering "Why did Indiana bring their floor." I guess we know why now.

That was back in the day when there weren't any such things as special floors for different events. Every arena had just one floor.