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Arenas that host both basketball and ice hockey games have to switch between the two sports as the seasons change. This conversion process can be done in as little as 90 minutes with a large crew or take up to a full day with a smaller crew. Arenas accomplish this by laying wooden planking over the frozen hockey rink, with a layer of insulated padding to prevent the basketball floor from getting cold. The ice stays frozen throughout the basketball season thanks to a calcium-chloride solution (called brinewater) that is cooled and circulated in the layer of concrete that forms the base of the ice layer.
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What You'll Learn
The ice stays frozen underneath the basketball court
The ice hockey rink is only removed when the regular season and playoffs are finished. The ice is kept frozen throughout the season thanks to a calcium-chloride solution (called brinewater) that is cooled and circulated in the layer of concrete that forms the base of the ice layer. The concrete floor under the ice has pipes running through it, which pump really cold liquid (like antifreeze) to keep the concrete cold and the ice frozen.
In some cases, an insulating layer is placed on top of the ice, and the basketball court is laid on top of that. The basketball court is heavy enough to stay in place on its own. For example, the basketball court the Denver Nuggets team plays on consists of 285 pieces that weigh 186 pounds each, adding up to a court that weighs 26.5 tons.
In other cases, the rink is drained, and the basketball court is placed directly on the slab. The ice is not melted off, it remains frozen for the duration. This allows for a quick transition between sports, with some stadiums able to convert from ice hockey rink to basketball court in as little as 90 minutes.
The process of converting a basketball court to an ice hockey rink and back again is a common practice in stadiums that host teams from different leagues. With technology constantly evolving, the means of switching between the two may become faster and easier in the future.
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Hockey rinks and basketball courts are roughly the same size
Arenas with multiple sports teams, such as Los Angeles' Staples Center, often require a quick transformation of the stadium from a hockey rink to a basketball court. This transformation process, which can take anywhere from 90 minutes to a full day, involves removing the black squares that cover the ice, leaving the ice intact underneath the basketball court. The ice remains frozen throughout thanks to a concrete floor beneath it embedded with temperature control mechanisms.
While the playing surfaces for hockey and basketball may differ, with ice hockey rinks featuring ice and the potential for on-the-glass seating, and basketball courts consisting of a rectangular floor with tiles at either end, the overall dimensions of the playing areas are roughly similar. This similarity in size is advantageous when converting a stadium from one use to the other, as it allows for a more seamless transition in terms of seating arrangements and overall space utilisation.
The size of a standard National Hockey League (NHL) rink is 200 feet by 85 feet, providing a playing area of 17,000 square feet. In contrast, a National Basketball Association (NBA) court measures 94 feet by 50 feet, resulting in a playing area of 4,700 square feet. While the shapes of the playing areas differ, with the hockey rink being rectangular and the basketball court featuring curved baselines, their overall dimensions are comparable.
The process of converting a stadium from a hockey rink to a basketball court, or vice versa, involves more than just changing the playing surface. The branding and aesthetics of the arena also need to be altered to reflect the team playing. This includes changing colours, logos, and other team-specific details. Additionally, the glass seating arrangements in hockey arenas may need to be adjusted or removed to accommodate the different sightlines and viewing experiences for basketball games.
While hockey rinks and basketball courts have roughly the same size in terms of their overall dimensions, the unique requirements of each sport necessitate specific adjustments to the playing area and stadium configuration. The transformation process showcases the adaptability of these arenas and the crews that work tirelessly to ensure a seamless transition between sports.
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Hockey and basketball require different scoreboards
The process of converting a hockey rink to a basketball court involves removing the walls and glass panels and then laying out insulated plywood over the ice surface. The hardwood basketball floor is then pieced together on top of the plywood. This process can be completed in as little as 90 minutes with a large crew or up to a full day with just a few workers.
To accommodate both sports, arenas must plan for the different needs of each. In basketball, the floor is open to fans, while hockey requires a protective glass wall and a penalty box on both sides of the ice. The flooring is also critical, as the basketball floor needs to be insulated to prevent it from becoming too cold.
The scoreboard is another important consideration when converting an arena from hockey to basketball. There are now multi-sport scoreboards available that can be easily converted for use in both sports. However, in the past, arenas may have had to manually switch between different scoreboards for each sport.
The ice rink itself also presents a challenge when converting an arena for basketball use. While the ice is usually only about an inch thick, it is made of many tiny layers to ensure durability. The ice is kept frozen throughout the hockey season using a calcium-chloride solution called brinewater that is circulated through the concrete base. This means that the ice does not need to be melted and refrozen for each game, which would be a much more complicated process.
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Hockey requires a protective glass wall and penalty box
Hockey is a full-contact sport that involves a lot of player collisions and high-speed puck movement. As such, the game requires a protective glass wall to separate the players from the spectators. This glass wall, also known as hockey glass, serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it protects the spectators from injury due to high-speed pucks or player collisions. Secondly, it provides an unobstructed view of the game for the spectators and broadcasters. The glass is usually made of plexiglass or tempered glass. Plexiglass is a flexible plastic material that is shock-absorbing and less likely to break compared to tempered glass. It is also easier to replace if it cracks. Tempered glass, on the other hand, is stronger and can withstand harsh blows from players.
The process of converting a hockey rink to a basketball court involves removing the hockey glass and any other hockey-specific structures, such as the penalty box. The penalty box in hockey is the area where a player serves their penalty time after committing an infraction during the game. It is usually located near the protective glass wall and is made of the same material, either plexiglass or tempered glass. During the conversion process, the penalty box is removed or covered to make way for the basketball court.
The transformation of a stadium from a hockey rink to a basketball court is a complex and labour-intensive process. It involves a large crew of workers and can take anywhere from 90 minutes to a full day to complete. The process typically involves removing the hockey rink's surface, which may involve melting the ice or covering it with a tarp, and then setting up the basketball court.
In some cases, the ice may not be removed but simply covered with a tarp or a basketball court surface. This is because the ice is embedded in a concrete floor with temperature control mechanisms that keep it frozen even when not in use. This allows for quicker conversions between sports and reduces the manpower and time required.
While the process of converting a stadium from hockey to basketball involves significant changes to the playing surface and the surrounding structures, such as the protective glass wall and penalty box, the basic infrastructure of the stadium remains the same. The seating arrangements and overall layout of the stadium are designed to accommodate multiple sports, allowing for efficient transformations between different sporting events.
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Conversion times vary from 90 minutes to a full day
The time taken to convert a stadium from a hockey rink to a basketball court varies from 90 minutes to a full day. This variation in time depends on the crew size, efficiency, and technology used. The process is quite complicated and requires a lot of planning and a significant amount of manpower.
The first step in the conversion process is to remove the walls and glass panels that enclose the hockey rink. Then, special insulated plywood is laid out across the ice surface. This plywood is essential to maintaining the temperature of the basketball court and the ice below it. The basketball court, made up of around 300 pieces of hardwood, is then assembled on top of the plywood. Each piece of wood weighs between 175 and 190 pounds, contributing to a total weight of more than 25 tons.
The ice rink underneath the basketball court is not melted or removed. Instead, it remains frozen throughout the basketball season, thanks to a calcium-chloride solution called brinewater that is circulated beneath the slab. This process ensures that the basketball court can be quickly converted back into a hockey rink when needed.
The conversion process is not limited to the playing surface. The scoreboard and seating arrangements may also need adjustments to accommodate the specific requirements of each sport. For example, in basketball, the floor is typically open to fans, while in hockey, a protective glass wall and penalty boxes are required.
The speed and efficiency of the conversion process are crucial, especially when multiple games are scheduled in a short period. For instance, the Staples Center in Los Angeles once hosted six playoff games in four days, requiring constant transformations between a hockey rink and a basketball court.
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Frequently asked questions
Depending on the technology used and the number of workers available, the transition can take as little as 90 minutes or up to a full day.
First, the walls and glass panels are removed, then special insulated plywood is laid out over the ice surface, and the hardwood of the basketball floor is pieced together on top. The ice stays frozen underneath thanks to temperature control mechanisms or a calcium-chloride solution.
Both sports are played indoors and on fields of roughly the same size, so combining them in the same arena is easy to do and is common for many schools and professional venues.
