Amanda Knapp
Arenas that host both basketball and hockey games are able to convert between the two by first removing the walls and glass panels around the hockey rink. Then, large pieces of insulated plywood are laid out over the ice, and the basketball court, made up of 285 wooden pieces, is pieced together on top. The ice is not removed and remains frozen underneath the plywood, which keeps the basketball court warm and the ice cool. The process is reversed after the basketball game to prepare for the next hockey game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time taken for transformation | 90 minutes to a full day |
| Number of workers | 2 dozen |
| Ice | Remains underneath the basketball floor |
| Basketball floor | Made of hardwood |
| Ice rink | Made of insulated plywood |
| Ice temperature | Maintained at 16 degrees Fahrenheit |
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What You'll Learn
The ice remains underneath the basketball floor
The process of converting a basketball court into an ice hockey rink and vice versa is a fascinating one and is regularly carried out in stadiums across the world. The transformation can be completed in as little as 90 minutes, but it usually takes several hours and sometimes even an entire day, depending on the crew's size and efficiency.
The basketball floor is placed on top of the ice rink, which remains underneath. The ice is not melted off but is kept frozen throughout. This is achieved through a concrete floor beneath the ice, which has temperature control mechanisms embedded in it. Pipes run through the concrete floor, pumping a very cold liquid, such as antifreeze, to keep the ice frozen.
In some cases, the ice may be removed if there are multiple basketball games scheduled before the next hockey game. This is because the cold temperature required for the ice can cause condensation problems on the basketball floor. Additionally, other events may require the use of the arena, such as horse shows and monster truck rallies, which would be impractical with the ice in place.
The process of converting the floor is not unique and is commonly performed in cities with stadiums hosting teams from different leagues, such as Los Angeles, with its Staples Center. The transformation involves a significant amount of manpower, with hundreds of workers required to complete the task.
Overall, the ability to switch between a basketball court and an ice hockey rink in a single stadium showcases the impressive logistics and technology employed to accommodate different sports and events. The process ensures efficient use of space and resources while also catering to the varying needs of basketball and ice hockey players.
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The hardwood basketball floor is pieced together atop plywood
The process of converting a basketball court to an ice hockey rink and vice versa is fascinating. It involves a lot of work and can take anywhere from 90 minutes to a full day to complete. The transformation process begins with the basketball court, which is usually made of maple hardwood. Maple is the gold standard for basketball court flooring due to its superior performance characteristics, such as excellent surface friction, shock absorption, and durability.
Below the hardwood, the subflooring system may vary. Some companies use plywood construction, while others opt for specialized cushioning systems. The cushioning systems enhance shock absorption, ball bounce, and vibration control, improving athletic performance.
When converting the basketball court to an ice hockey rink, the hardwood floor is not removed. Instead, it serves as the base for the ice rink. The transformation process involves installing a layer of ice on top of the existing floor. The ice is not melted off between games but remains frozen, thanks to temperature control mechanisms embedded in the concrete floor underneath.
To prepare the basketball court for hockey, the hardwood floor is sanded, stained, sealed, and painted with the hockey rink lines and logos. This process ensures that the basketball court lines and logos are covered, and the surface is ready for hockey. The reverse process is followed when converting from a hockey rink to a basketball court, with the ice removed and the floor refinished for basketball.
The process of transforming a basketball court to an NHL-standard ice hockey rink and vice versa is a complex and time-consuming task that requires a large crew and careful planning.
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The plywood keeps the basketball court warm and the ice cool
Arenas with basketball courts and hockey rinks have to frequently change the flooring to accommodate the different sports. This process involves converting the rink to a basketball court by first removing the walls and glass panels. Then, special insulated plywood is laid out over the entire ice surface, and the hardwood of the basketball floor is pieced together on top of the plywood.
The plywood is essential to the process as it serves as an insulating barrier between the basketball court and the ice rink. This barrier helps to maintain the temperature differential between the court and the ice, keeping the basketball court warm and the ice cool.
The ice rink, which is typically made of an ice-bearing concrete slab, is embedded with a network of pipes filled with brinewater, an antifreeze agent. This system allows the ice to remain frozen even with the basketball court laid on top. The concrete slab is maintained at extremely cold temperatures, usually around 16 degrees Fahrenheit, to freeze thousands of gallons of water and create a thick layer of ice.
The basketball court, on the other hand, needs to be kept at a comfortable temperature for players and spectators. The insulated plywood plays a crucial role in achieving this by preventing the cold temperatures from affecting the court's surface. This ensures that the basketball court is warm enough for optimal playing conditions and spectator comfort.
The process of converting the basketball court back to an ice rink involves reversing these steps. The basketball court is disassembled, and the insulated plywood is removed, exposing the ice rink beneath. This efficient system allows arenas to accommodate both basketball and hockey with minimal downtime during the transition process.
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The basketball court is heavy enough to stay in place
Arenas that host both professional basketball and ice hockey teams have to frequently switch between a basketball court and an ice hockey rink. This process of interconversion can be done in as little as 90 minutes or take up to a full day, depending on the technology used and the workforce available.
When converting a hockey rink to a basketball court, the walls and glass panels around the rink are first removed. Then, large pieces of insulated plywood are laid out over the ice. The basketball court, weighing about 26.5 tons, is then assembled like a puzzle on top of the plywood. Each of the 285 pieces weighs 186 pounds and takes four people to lock in, after which a sledgehammer is used to tighten it. The plywood insulates the ice, keeping the court warm and preventing the ice from melting.
The weight and stability of the basketball court are crucial factors in maintaining the safety of the players. The court surface should also have high resilience, slip resistance, and shock absorption to prevent injuries and allow players to move swiftly and maintain their grip and balance.
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The ice rink is created at the start of the season and stays until the end
The process of converting a basketball court to an ice rink for NHL games is a complex one. The ice rink is created at the start of the season and stays until the end. This process usually takes place during the off-season, and the ice is maintained throughout the NHL season. The NHL season usually begins in October and ends in April the following year.
To create an ice rink, a concrete slab is first laid down, and this serves as the base for the rink. This concrete floor is embedded with temperature control mechanisms to keep the ice frozen. Then, water is carefully sprayed onto the concrete, freezing almost immediately to form the base layer of the skating surface. This base layer is about 1/32 of an inch thick. Following this, more super-thin layers of ice are applied and allowed to freeze. Within these layers, a layer is painted white to contrast with the black puck used in ice hockey. The lines and logos required for ice hockey games are also painted on at this stage. The entire process of spraying water, painting, and freezing can take up to four days. It takes about 45,000 to 57,000 litres of water to form a hockey rink surface, and the final surface is normally only between 3/4 of an inch and 1 and 1/2 inches thick.
To keep the ice frozen, an indirect refrigeration system is used. This system uses a liquid refrigerant, often ammonia, to absorb heat from a secondary liquid, often a brine solution. The brine solution is pumped through pipes embedded in the concrete floor, drawing heat from the ice surface and keeping it at around --4 degrees Celsius. This process keeps the ice frozen and skateable throughout the NHL season.
The conversion process from basketball court to ice rink is a challenging and time-consuming task, but it is a necessary one for arenas that host multiple sports events and teams.
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Frequently asked questions
First, the walls and glass panels surrounding the hockey rink are removed. Then, large pieces of insulated plywood are laid out over the ice. The basketball court, which is made up of 285 wooden pieces, is then pieced together like a puzzle on top of the plywood. The plywood keeps the ice cool and the court warm, and the court is heavy enough to stay in place.
Depending on the technology used and the number of workers available, the transition can take as little as 90 minutes with a large crew or a full day with a smaller crew.
The ice is only removed when the regular season and playoffs are finished. To remove the ice, the brinewater underneath is warmed and circulated to begin melting it. Once it has melted sufficiently, the ice is broken up and removed using front-end loaders.
