Bucks' Too-Slippery Floor to be 'Resurfaced'

The Milwaukee Bucks' much-anticipated new floor will be out of commission for as much as three weeks after play had to stop during a preseason game last Friday due to the floor being too slippery.

The Bucks had to stop their preseason game against the Toronto Raptors last Friday after the team's new floor was deemed unsafe to play on. Players struggled to stay on their feet on the inexplicably slick floor in the BMO Harris Bradley Center, and the game was called with 5:58 remaining in the first quarter.

There was speculation on Friday that condensation from the ice rink beneath the floor could have been the culprit, but a Bucks press release after the game quoted NBA referee Dan Crawford saying, "There was no condensation at all. None whatsoever." On Tuesday, after a meeting with NBA officials, flooring suppliers and other flooring industry personnel, the NBA determined the floor needed to be "resurfaced," according to a press release from the Bucks, which would seem to indicate there was a problem with the finish on the floor. The release says the "refinishing" should be completed in three weeks or less. In the meantime, the Bucks will play on their prior court, used by the team throughout the 2012-13 regular season and playoffs.

The Bucks had no problem with the recently unveiled floor during a previous preseason game or during the one practice held on the floor, though players complained about the floor during game warmups. The new floor has a retro look meant to evoke the team's famous floor used from 1976-1988 and designed by famous artist Robert Indiana. The portable floor was manufactured by Action Floor Systems (Mercer, Wis.) and sanded and finished by ProStar Surfaces Inc. (Mequon, Wis.), and the new design was unveiled at the Milwaukee Art Museum on Sept. 24.

The Mecca floor (left) was designed by pop artist Robert Indiana in the 1970s. The new court (right) was unveiled for the 2013-14 season.

The team launched a "New Floor Guaranteed" ticket offer for select upper-level seats. As part of the offer, any fan who purchases a "New Floor Guaranteed" ticket for the home opener on Nov. 2 will receive a complimentary ticket for every subsequent game up to and including the game when the critically-acclaimed new floor makes its first appearance.