By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Following Panathinaikos Aktor, another Turkish Airlines EuroLeague team, FC Bayern Munich is set to introduce a LED video glass floor for home games. The BMW Park becomes the first venue with a fullly installed LED video sports floor.
Bayern announced plans on Tuesday.
Per the press release: “Fans of the German basketball champions can look forward to a new attraction that will spectacularly enhance the event landscape of the Munich metropolitan area: BMW Park, the home venue of FC Bayern Basketball, will be the world’s first event location to feature a full-LED video sports floor for the upcoming season. The double winners and ASB GlassFloor, the global leader in innovative sports flooring solutions, have entered into a partnership valid until 2030.
This collaboration between Bayern Basketball and its new sports flooring innovation partner, along with the additional commitment of the naming rights partner for the arena at Munich’s Westpark – FCBB mobility partner BMW – has made it possible for the revolutionary glass floor to be permanently and custom-installed. This makes BMW Park the first event venue ever to have a full-LED video sports floor, offering limitless animation possibilities.
BMW Park becomes the world’s first event location with a full-LED video sports floor
The Munich-based team had already played on an ASB GlassFloor at the start of their successful BBL season in late September 2023 – the world’s first top-level basketball game on a video glass floor. This innovation later inspired the NBA to host its 2024 All-Star events (at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis) on an ASB GlassFloor as well. Now, the BMW Park is even getting the world’s largest permanently installed video glass floor, covering approximately 580 square meters. Installation has begun, and initial training sessions are already taking place on the court, with the necessary approval from authorities to follow.
The historic arena in Munich-Sendling, originally built for the 1972 Olympic basketball tournament, is being permanently transformed into an innovative experience park for events of all kinds. Thanks to the high-tech glass floor, BMW Park will not only be further enhanced as a versatile Bundesliga home venue for Bayern Basketball (and, for example, the Herrsching first-division volleyball team), but also Munich will have a unique event location from September 2024. The venue will be capable of hosting various sports events, corporate presentations, roller discos, entertainment/music shows, and many other events – with spectacular visual effects included.
All BBL Home Games on Video Glass Court – and Events of All Kinds
The new event dimension is made possible by the glass surface of the court and the millions of LEDs installed beneath it. Combined with the specially developed software platform “GlassCourt OS,” the ASB GlassFloor offers a revolutionary visual experience. For the first time, never-before-seen animations will be showcased during BBL home games, particularly in pre-game shows, halftime breaks, and game stoppages. Traditional logo placements can be replaced with emotional video messages, and relevant game data can be displayed directly on the court as an added value for fans.
With the limitless possibilities now available for event planners at BMW Park, the benefits for both players and fans in sports are clear:
• Versatile LED Visualizations: The millions of LED points embedded in the floor enable impressive animations, setting new standards for entertainment and advertising.
• Optimal Safety and Comfort: The ASB GlassFloor is designed with athletes’ needs in mind. Its elastic surface is easier on the joints, and ceramic dots embedded in the glass provide excellent grip, preventing friction burns.
• Advanced Training Opportunities: The ASB GlassFloor allows real-time position data to be integrated into the playing field. Player positions are precisely tracked and visualized, enabling new training approaches. Players can monitor their running speed live and receive optimal passing options or the best defensive positions during test games, guided by AI. This direct feedback significantly enhances training by being provided on the field rather than in post-practice feedback sessions with the coach.
FCBB CEO Marko Pesic expressed his enthusiasm: “We are grateful to our new Official Partner ASB GlassFloor for making this spectacular project possible. BMW is also contributing greatly, allowing us to present top-level basketball in a whole new way to our audience at BMW Park, thanks to innovative technology. With the new BMW Park experience and the SAP Garden as our second venue, we can offer our fans something truly special. I am also convinced that the visual fascination and interactive potential of the floor at BMW Park will be highly attractive for many other events and their visitors. This floor will transform the spectator experience.”
A New Dimension of Spectator Experience
Christof Babinsky, Managing Director of ASB GlassFloor, based in Stein an der Traun in Upper Bavaria, commented: “We are thrilled about the collaboration with FC Bayern Basketball and the introduction of the first permanent full-LED video sports floor in the Bundesliga. The valuable feedback from the athletes and our proximity to our headquarters in Munich allow us to continuously optimize both our technology and software. The regular league operations also enable us to demonstrate the commercial viability of our system for the club. We have extensive plans in the field of advertising, aiming to make it more interesting and relevant for viewers in the future. Our goal is to put the athletes at the forefront and to connect advertising messages with relevant performance data. Instead of the previous static logo placements, we want to use emotional, relevant storytelling to create added value for sponsors and spectators.”
FCBB national player Andreas Obst shared his excitement: “I really liked the video floor during the opening game last year; it was a really cool experience. I already said back then that I could get used to it. Now we are all excited to be playing our home games at BMW Park on this full-LED video floor permanently and to continue training there—and to be the first professional team in the world to do so.”
Bernd Döpke, Head of BMW Munich, added: “Since the beginning of our mobility partnership with FC Bayern Basketball, we have strived to offer fans a premium spectator experience in our shared home of Munich at BMW Park. We are proud that our initiative last year sparked the permanent installation of the high-tech video floor this season, making BMW Park the first sports arena in the world with such a floor permanently installed. Spectators at BMW Park will experience a new level of technological advancement and innovation, which our BMW vehicles also represent.”
Photo Credit: FIBA