SPORTS TECHNOLOGY
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for us as we are the only sports glass floor provider in the world. The athletes were all very excited about it because you have better grip on the glass floor than on a wooden floor, and it’s not slippery or hard when you fall. Those are usually the typical concerns people have around playing on glass. So, this was the first official proof of concept for our highest level of competition.” ASB Glass Floor has also worked with the NBA. “They reached out to us, which was very exciting because the US is such a big market, especially in basketball,” says Pfeffer. “We also had the FC Bayern Munich installation for the season opener in 2023, which was our first step into basketball in Germany. After that, we got our first permanent installation for FC Bayern at BMW Park, which functions as a multi-functional arena. It’s a nice case study for the multi-functionality of a venue, where you don’t have to completely build or rebuild it just to be able to integrate new technology. It was initially built for the Olympics in 1972 and now serves as one of the premier destinations when it comes to venues in Germany because of the technology they have installed.”
Since ASB Glass Floor’s inception, there has been growing demand for glass floor technology. “In the past, fans went to actually watch the sport,” says Pfeffer. “Now we are in this ‘sportainment’ era where people expect more than just sports. They want to be entertained around the sport. Our floor is at the centre of the entire arena, so you can do so much more with it. There are so many capabilities, but I feel that brands sometimes don’t know what to do with it. That’s why we do events, such as Beats N Buckets, which was a great opportunity to show sponsors what is possible and how they can use the floor in creative ways.” ASB Glass Floor is also able to integrate the floor with various tracking systems. “For example, we had a partnership with Shot Tracker where we included their tracking system,” says Pfeffer. “We developed games and you can track the ball and get to see the statistics on the floor. Essentially, we are picking up live data and displaying it directly to the fans, as well as to the coaches themselves. The floors are used for much more than fan engagement and sponsorship, they are also used for player development and
Play Sight’s smart-court systems are designed to be affordable and easy to set up, meaning their use is not limited to elite clubs and players
We are in this ‘sportainment’ era where people expect more than just sports. They want to be entertained around the sport
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