Kristian Ferrell
The Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, is a multi-purpose sports arena that hosts basketball, ice hockey, and other events. The venue is home to two National Basketball Association (NBA) teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, as well as the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). The arena undergoes a remarkable transformation, switching between a basketball court and a hockey rink, sometimes on the same day, to accommodate the schedules of these teams. This rapid conversion process involves a dedicated crew and a well-coordinated sequence of tasks, including cleaning, reconfiguration of seating, and the removal or installation of the basketball court overlay, all within a tight timeframe.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time taken for conversion | 2-3 hours; 1 hour 50 minutes is the record |
| Number of workers | 26; 60 on doubleheader days |
| Arena capacity (basketball) | 18,997 |
| Arena capacity (concerts and boxing matches) | 20,000 |
| Arena temperature (basketball) | 75 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Arena temperature (hockey) | 65 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Home teams | Lakers, Clippers (basketball); Kings (hockey) |
| Conversion process | The basketball court is an overlay on top of the ice rink; the ice rink is exposed when the overlay sheets are removed |
| Cleaning | The entire arena is cleaned, including bathrooms, lounges, and restaurants |
| Inventory | The Pro Shop switches out the inventory of the team playing |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The ice rink is always there, the basketball court overlays it
- The basketball court is removed piece by piece, exposing the ice rink
- The temperature is lowered to 65 degrees Fahrenheit for hockey games
- The conversion crew can be as large as 60 workers, each with a specific task
- The entire arena is cleaned, including luxury suites, bathrooms, and restaurants
The ice rink is always there, the basketball court overlays it
The Staples Center in Los Angeles is a multi-purpose sports arena that is home to two NBA basketball teams, the Lakers and the Clippers, and the Kings of the NHL. The venue also hosts concerts and theatrical events, and the basketball court and hockey rink are often switched on the same day.
The basketball court overlays the ice rink, which is always in place. The crew at the Staples Center removes the overlay sheets and rewires everything for a hockey game. The corner dasher boards are replaced, and the Plexiglas is placed on the dashboards and cleaned. The ice is then cleaned by a Zamboni. The basketball court is made of Maplewood and is removed piece by piece. The court is laid on top of the ice, which is kept frozen under specialised mats. The temperature must be kept at the right point to prevent the ice from melting, so it is colder during hockey games than basketball games.
The conversion process can take two to three hours, or even up to five hours, but on a doubleheader day, it must be completed within two hours. The crew is increased to around 60 workers, each with a specific task, including taking down the hockey glass and setting up chairs around the court. The Staples Center has two storage areas, which helps speed up the process, as all equipment can enter and leave from different passageways.
The reverse process, from hockey rink to basketball court, is considered easier as there is no ice covering involved. However, the timing is still crucial, as any overtime periods in the first game reduce the time available for the transition.
Best Badminton Rackets for Intermediate Players
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The basketball court is removed piece by piece, exposing the ice rink
The Staples Center in Los Angeles is a multi-purpose sports arena that hosts basketball, ice hockey, and concerts. It is home to two NBA teams, the Lakers and the Clippers, and the Kings of the NHL. The arena can seat 18,997 spectators for basketball games.
The basketball court overlay is removed and everything is rewired for a hockey game. The conversion crew also has to clean the entire arena, including the bathrooms, lounge areas, and restaurants. The Pro Shop must also switch out the team inventory for the night's game.
The more challenging transition is from hockey to basketball, as the ice rink has to be covered. The engineers must maintain the right temperature to prevent the ice from melting. Four-by-eight pieces of covering are placed on the ice, and in some areas, carpet is thrown over to reduce condensation. The basketball court is then pieced together on top of the coverings. This process can take up to five hours with a crew of 26 workers. On doubleheader days, when there are two games in one day, the conversion must be completed within two hours, requiring a crew of approximately 60 workers.
The Physicality of Basketball: Contact Sport or Not?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The temperature is lowered to 65 degrees Fahrenheit for hockey games
The Staples Center in Los Angeles is a multi-purpose sports arena that serves as the home of two National Basketball Association franchises, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). The arena hosts up to eight basketball-hockey doubleheaders during a season, with the first game typically starting at 12:30 pm and the second as early as 6:30 pm or 7:00 pm. This means that the crew has a very tight schedule for the transition, which must be completed within two hours.
The basketball court is laid on top of the ice rink, which remains in place throughout. For basketball games, the temperature inside the Staples Center is 75 degrees Fahrenheit, but for hockey games, it is lowered to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This is to ensure that the ice does not melt when exposed during the removal of the basketball court, which is done piece by piece. The ice is then cleaned by a Zamboni machine.
The process of switching from basketball to hockey involves removing the basketball court, cleaning the ice, replacing corner dasher boards, and placing Plexiglas on the dashboards. The conversion crew also rewires everything needed for a hockey game and sets up the hockey glass around the rink. The reverse process is carried out when switching from hockey to basketball, but without the need to cover the ice. Instead, the basketball court is pieced together directly on top of the ice.
The transition process also involves cleaning the entire arena, including all bathrooms, lounges, clubs, and restaurants. The Pro Shop must switch out the team inventory, and all non-stationary seats are removed and replaced with hydraulic seats. The conversion crew consists of around 60 workers, each with specific tasks, and the process is well-practised, allowing the arena to be completely transformed within a very short timeframe.
Dribbling a Basketball: How High is Too High?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The conversion crew can be as large as 60 workers, each with a specific task
The Staples Center in Los Angeles is a multi-purpose sports arena that serves as the home of three professional sports teams: the Lakers and the Clippers (NBA), and the Kings (NHL). The arena hosts up to 15 doubleheaders each year, where two of these teams each play a home game on the same day. This means that the entire arena must be converted from a basketball court to a hockey rink, or vice versa, in a very short time.
Each worker in the conversion crew has a specific task. Some crew members are responsible for taking down the hockey glass, while others set up chairs around the court or assemble the basketball court itself. Forklift drivers constantly move in and out from the storage rooms to bring in the pieces of the court.
The speed of the conversion process is aided by the fact that the hockey rink is always in place, with the basketball court overlaid on top. So, when switching from basketball to hockey, the crew simply needs to remove the court panels, exposing the ice, and then rewire everything for a hockey game. The corner dasher boards are replaced, and Plexiglas is placed on the dashboards and cleaned, along with the ice.
The crew also has to clean the entire arena, including luxury suites, bathrooms, lounges, and restaurants. They switch out the team inventory in the Pro Shop and make numerous other small changes. All of these tasks must be completed as quickly as possible, with the crew already in place as the previous game ends.
All England Badminton: Watch Live and Free
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$4.99 $5.99
The entire arena is cleaned, including luxury suites, bathrooms, and restaurants
The Staples Center in Los Angeles is a multi-purpose sports arena that serves as the home of three professional sports teams: the Lakers and Clippers in the NBA, and the Kings in the NHL. The arena also hosts concerts and theatrical events. With such a busy schedule, the crew has to work quickly and efficiently to transform the space from a basketball court to a hockey rink, and vice versa.
The entire arena is cleaned, including the 168 luxury suites, bathrooms, and restaurants. This process begins as soon as the players exit the court and the crowd starts leaving. The crew gets to work removing the Maple Wood Court floor piece by piece, replacing ads, and taking down the courtside seats and score tables. The basketball court is then stored in one of the two storage areas inside the Staples Center.
The crew also cleans the ice rink, which is already in place under the basketball court. They replace the corner dasher boards and place Plexiglas on the dashboards. The ice itself is cleaned by a Zamboni machine.
The transition from basketball to hockey, or vice versa, typically takes around two to three hours, with a crew of about 60 workers. Each worker has a specific task, from taking down the hockey glass to setting up chairs and the basketball court.
The more challenging transition is from hockey to basketball, as the ice rink needs to be covered. The engineers must maintain the right temperature to prevent the ice from melting, and then they drop four-by-eight pieces of covering on the ice, with carpets in some areas to reduce condensation.
Badminton Doubles: Pros Using 4U?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Staples Center in Los Angeles is home to two NBA teams, the Lakers and the Clippers, and the Kings of the NHL. The basketball court is an overlay on top of the hockey rink, so the crew removes the overlay sheets and rewires everything for a hockey game. The ice rink is cleaned by a Zamboni, and the corner dasher boards and Plexiglas are replaced.
The conversion process can take two to three hours, but on a doubleheader day, it must be completed within two hours.
The ice rink is covered with four-by-eight pieces of covering, and in some areas, carpet is used to keep condensation down. The basketball court is then pieced together on top.
Timing is crucial, and if the first game goes into overtime, it can delay the process. Additionally, there may be issues with seating sections getting stuck, as they need to be locked into place.
When configured for basketball, the Staples Center can accommodate up to 18,997 spectators. For concerts and boxing matches, the capacity increases to 20,000.
