Memphis hoops unveils new court at Fedexforum
Simpler. Cleaner. Classic. On Saturday — the eve of Memphis basketball's 2022-23 home opener — the school revealed the redesigned court and subsequently christened it with a 62-47 win over VCU. Gone is the blue- and grey-stained floor. No more are the Tiger-striped lanes. In their place is a floor with a more traditional look that school and athletic department officials hope isn't quite as visually distracting.
“It's not as crazy as it's been in the past, I don't think,” coach Penny Hardaway said prior to the unveiling.
Neither is this design expected to be as controversial. It has been three years since the last time the Tigers' floor received
a makeover. After that design was unveiled, it went viral on social media when some pointed out that certain areas on the court resembled a part of the male anatomy. University officials quickly made some revisions and admitted the finished product was “different” than what they expected.
Hardaway laughed Friday when he was reminded of it.
“When I saw the pictures, I was like, ‘OK, I get it,' “he said.
The most noticeable difference is likely the Tiger blue claw mark that stretches from the top of one key to the other and across the width of the court. The rest of the floor keeps the natural tone of the hardwood. Within the lanes, the wood features a slightly lighter hue to set it apart. The apron remains blue with Tiger stripes — although, along the baselines, “MEMPHIS” is present in all caps. The previous design had “MEMPHIS TIGERS” stretched across the width of each baseline. Also, “Fedexforum” remains at halfcourt, just above the school's primary leaping Tiger logo.
“I think we all wanted, maybe, just a cleaner look,” said Adam Walker, executive associate athletic director and the sport administrator for men's basketball. “The other one, it was out there. It was bold. A lot of blue. So, I think we all wanted something a little simpler. Classic. Clean.
“But with a little flair and a little edge to it.”
Here is the inside story on how and why the new court came to be.
‘Perfect timing’
The impetus behind Memphis' decision to switch things up after only three seasons with the previous design was essentially born out of tangential circumstances.