In a nod to the power of social media, officials at Chicago's Northwestern University picked the new court design for its Welsh-Ryan Arena based partly on the number
of Facebook "Likes" it received, according to NUsports.cstv.com. And it's clear the fans were thinking outside the box. Instead of using paint for the new court design-as is traditionally the case-a substantial portion of the court has been stained so that the wood's grain will show through.
Rockford, Ill.-based Specialty Floors Inc. started working on the floor Aug. 15 and is expected to be finished Aug. 28. The interior of both three-point arcs and the court's perimeter line were stained purple Wednesday, while the Ncat logo at center court was painted on Saturday. A regularly updated photo gallery of the crew's progress can be viewed here.
Four prospective designs were unveiled to fans on Aug. 1 on the Northwestern Athletics Facebook page as well as NUsports.com. The final design was chosen through a combination of fan feedback and athletics department staff members. The new court will see its first action on Sept. 16 when the Northwestern volleyball team hosts the Wildcat Classic.
Graphic credit: Northwestern University
