The Big 12’s new partnership with ASB GlassFloor brings LED court technology to men’s and women’s tournament play, opening the door to new storytelling and revenue streams.
Brett Yormark called the Big 12 the conference of innovation, one that leans into differentiation and being a first mover in the college sports landscape. It’s why you’ll be seeing the Big 12 try something during March’s conference tournaments that’s never been attempted before in major American sports.
The Big 12 signed a multi-year partnership with ASB GlassFloor, whose state-of-the-art full LED video sports floor will be used as the official playing court for the conference’s men’s and women’s tournaments in March at Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center, the companies exclusively revealed to Boardroom on Wednesday. It will mark the first time ASB GlassFloor’s LED court technology will be used for official competition in the United States.
“We’re willing to do things that are different and unique,” Yormark, the Big 12’s Commissioner, told Boardroom, “while also creating value for all of our key stakeholders.”
The Big 12 basketball tournaments were played on a unique court design last year whose pattern went viral, and Yormark and the league left wondering what they could do next. Discussions between ASB Americas Director Chris Thornton and Big 12 Chief Brand and Business Officer Tyrel Kirkham began a little over a year ago and led to a groundbreaking pact that Thornton hopes will serve as the proof of concept needed to break into the U.S. market.
“It takes a certain changemaker to be the first, and the Big 12 has that,” Thornton told Boardroom. “It’s been a wood floor for over 100 years in basketball, but then you tell them that we can bring a new surface and it’s glass, and it’s safer on your athletes, and there’s more benefits to the coaches, and the fans are going to love it, and then you’re going to generate so much more incremental revenue. The Big 12 is a perfect partner to launch this.”
The NBA turned heads around the world when it utilized the LED court for every event at All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis two years ago, showing what it can do for both fans and potential partners. When the women’s tournament begins on March 4 and the men’s tourney on March 10, fans will see unique, engaging content like shot charts and box scores directly on the court, immersive animations after key plays and big moments, and interactive games during timeouts, along with storytelling opportunities with the conference’s teams and players. And unlike a traditional court, the glass floor unlocks new revenue potential, as the Big 12 can work with partners to display custom content and ads at any time.
“The brand integration also presents wonderful new and different opportunities,” Yormark said. “We have been in front of partners, and they love it. The creative flexibility is certainly something that all of our partners, existing and new, really, really like.”
Thornton added, “Let’s say there’s a slam dunk in a game and the apron can be activated with a sponsorship. That’s new inventory that does not exist currently. When a player’s on the free throw line, two-thirds of the court is taken up with stats, and you tie in the stats with an advertisement as well. A warm-up court could be taken over by an advertiser. Things like that that are currently not able to be done on a wood court.”
The Big 12 has a contract with ShotTracker that it utilizes across its arenas, helping teams and broadcasters access real-time data and AI-driven insights. The conference said that while its offerings will remain the same with the glass court, its ability to share the information it regularly gathers with fans will be enhanced.
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ASB has what it calls an athletes’ lab in Orlando, where NBA teams regularly practice while in town. Numerous teams across the Big 12 have already traveled there to test and approve the unique glass surface to the satisfaction of the conference. FIBA’s under-19 women’s World Cup was played on the court in Madrid in 2023, while EuroLeague clubs Panathinaikos and Bayern Munich permanently play on the courts. Yormark ensured that there was collaboration and buy-in from its most important stakeholders, the student-athletes, coaches, and teams to ensure safety and wellness were paramount as the Big 12 sets out to make history.
If the glass court meets the expectations of the Big 12 and industry-standard performance levels, schools could decide to use it beyond conference tournaments. Thornton envisions regular-season games, non-conference showcases such as the Players Era Festival, and major rivalry matchups across multiple conferences using ASB’s technology to enhance the experience for all involved. But first, as the Big 12 showcases the biggest names in college basketball, from AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson to Olivia Miles and Audi Crooks, it will do so in Kansas City on the most technologically advanced court in college hoops history.
“This speaks to who we are as a conference,” Yormark said. “We want to continue to tell the Big 12 story through this partnership while creating an incredible in-game experience for our fans. But most importantly, we want to create a great experience for our student-athletes. I want them to be proud that they’re in the Big 12 because we are the conference of innovation and we’re willing to do things that are different and unique.”
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