SOURCE: Connor Sports
12 Custom-Built Made-In-Michigan Courts for Men’s and Women’s Regionals, Final Four® and Fan Events
AMASA, Mich. (March 12, 2018) – As another Selection Sunday® has captured the attention of bracket-minded basketball fans across the nation, Connor Sports® , a Gerflor company, will again provide the Official Courts for the NCAA® Men’s and Women’s basketball championships culminating in the Final Four.®
As the Official Court Supplier of NCAA March Madness® since 2006, Connor Sports will provide the court for the 2018 Men’s Final Four® to be played March 31 and April 2 at The Alamodome in San Antonio, and for the Women's Final Four® on March 30 and April 1 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to the Men’s and Women’s Final Fours®, Connor Sports will provide new courts for the Men’s and Women’s regional games and for the showcase court at the Men’s Final Four Fan Fest Presented by Capital One®.
"Connor Sports is proud to play such an important role in executing the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships with the NCAA®," said Andrew Campbell, Partnership & Events Director, Gerflor USA. “Manufacturing 12 new custom courts and delivering and installing in total 21 courts for the NCAA is a challenge that we welcome and strive to execute to the highest standards.”
Connor Sports manufactures the 12 new, custom-built QuickLock® portable floors for installation at both the men's and women's regionals and Final Four® tournament venues as well as the fan event courts. Additionally, the NCAA® uses nine courts from Connor Sports that are maintained to the highest standards and installed by Connor for the First Four and the first and second rounds of men’s tournament play.
The 2018 Men’s Final Four® court is made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified first-grade Northern Hard Maple sustainably-sourced from Michigan forests. The court is 70’ X 140’ and totals 9,800 square feet using 397 4’ x 7’ panels weighing approximately 188 pounds each for a total of 37 tons. The Women’s Final Four® surface is also FSC-certified and measures 60’ x 120’ at 7,200 square feet with 262 4’ x 7’ panels, more than 24 tons in total.
The courts were manufactured and inspected at the Connor Sport mill in the small town of Amasa, Mich., in the fall of 2017. The floor panels were stacked and banded in January and then shipped to Connor’s valued finishing partners for assembly sanding, sealing, and painting before being loaded and finally delivered to each Regional or Final Four® venue or fan event location. Each floor takes approximately five hours to install by Connor Sports Technical Supervisors and a team of 10-12 local workers.
Installation for the Men’s Final Four® court at the Alamodome in San Antonio will take place beginning at 8 a.m. CT on Friday, March 23 and an open media session will from 10 a.m. to noon. The installation for the Women’s Final Four® in Columbus will take place in the early morning on Monday, March 26. Following completed installation of the court, a court dedication for media will be hosted at 3 p.m. ET.
In addition to the championship courts, Gerflor’s Sport Court® brand will provide all synthetic basketball surfaces used by NCAA® Champions and Partners at the fan events to engage fans in a variety of basketball-themed skills activities.
Connor Sports Environmental Responsibility
•In 2009 an independent environmental engineering firm audited and designated Connor Sports a “Zero Waste Company.”
•As a member of the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA), Connor adheres to the strict grading and quality standards of that organization.
•Maple hardwood used in the courts is from a renewable resource, with the U.S. growing six times more hardwood than is harvested each year.
•Connor recycles 99% of its waste material and offers wood that is Forest Stewardship Council-certified. The FSC mark represents products from well-managed forests.
•Connor was the first MFMA member to be certified by the Rainforest Alliance, and is the only independently certified Zero Waste sports flooring manufacturer.
ABOUT CONNOR SPORTS
Founded in 1872, Connor Sports® is the leader in hardwood sports flooring and is a preferred provider to the NCAA, NBA, FIBA and other organizations. Connor Sports is a part of the Gerflor® company. Gerflor’s cutting-edge technology, history of innovation and design-forward products as an international leader in the flooring industry provides Connor Sports with global scope and enhanced research and technology. The Gerflor portfolio also includes Sport Court® and Taraflex® brands. Connor Sports has a proven commitment to sustainability with an excellent environmental record in responsible forestry including use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified materials and is the only flooring company with an Environmental Product Declaration. The company’s manufacturing facility in Amasa, MI is independently-audited and compliant with ISO 14001 standards. Connor Sports products also include leading vulcanized rubber sports surfaces. Connor Sports is on the web at www.connorsports.com, Facebook at www.facebook.com/connorsports and on Twitter @Connor_Sports.
