My my My my
 
 
 
 
 
 

How does the united center change from hockey to basketball


Frequently Asked Questions | United Center

GENERAL GUEST SERVICES INFORMATION

The United Center, home to the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls, is the largest arena in the United States. Construction began in April of 1992, with the ribbon cutting ceremony being held on August 18, 1994.

The arena is located at:
1901 W. Madison St.
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 455-4500


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Are cameras, iPad's, video recorders or selfie sticks allowed inside the United Center?

    Following is the general camera policy that can be changed based on a specific request from the attraction or promoter:

    Sporting Events: non-flash, still cameras of any type may be used to take pictures of sporting events or events where house lights are illuminated during a performance as long as it does not interfere with other guests view. Any tripod or other photography equipment may not be used or placed in any area of the building without a building issued media credentials. Selfie sticks are not allowed inside the arena. No video recording devices, audio recorders or cameras with detachable lenses are allowed. 
    Concerts and Other Events: no professional cameras, video recording devices, audio recorders or selfie sticks are allowed. Please contact Guest Relations at (312) 455-4500 for specific event information.
     

  • Am I allowed to leave and re-enter the venue?
    No. The United Center has a strict no re-entry policy for all events. For questions please visit the nearest Guest Relations booth, located at the entrance of Gates 2 and 6, the Lexus Club Level at Section 221, and on the 300 Level across from Section 325.
     
  • Does the United Center offer wheelchair escort service?
    Yes. Guests may request assistance at all main entry gates (2, 3, 6, 7, 4 and 8). For all other accessibility questions, visit the Accessibility section below or visit the nearest Guest Relations booth, located at the entrance of Gates 2 and 6, the Lexus Club Level at Section 221, and on the 300 Level across from Section 325.
     
  • Does the United Center offer Hearing and Visual assistance?
    Yes. Assistive listening devices (personal headsets) are available at the Guest Relations booth at Gates 2 or 6. A valid photo ID is required for use. Sign language interpreter services are also available free of charge. Please contact the Guest Relations Department at (312) 455-4509 and note that a two-week notice is required.
     
  • Does the United Center offer any assistance for those with sensory sensitivities?
    United Center is proudly certified as a sensory inclusive venue in Chicago. United Center staff has been trained by medical professionals on recognizing guests with sensory needs and how to properly handle a sensory overload situation.

    Additionally, the arena has sensory bags available for guests to check out at Guest Relations Booths located inside Gates 2 and 6 on the 100 level, Section 221 and Section 325. Sensory bags include noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads. A designated quiet room is also available to guests at Section 115. 

  • Do I need a ticket for my child?

    For Bulls, Blackhawks and Feld Entertainment events, children under 36” do not need a ticket but must remain on the lap of an adult. One child per lap.

    For all concerts events, all guests, including children, are required to have a ticket to enter the arena.

    For collegiate and any other event, call 312-455-4500 for specific details.

     

  • Can I take public transportation to and from the United Center?
    Yes, there are many ways to get to and from the United Center. Visit our Directions & Parking page for specific details.
     
  • Where is the accessible parking lot?
    Accessible parking at the United Center is located in Lot G at the southwest corner of the building. Vehicles displaying a current handicapped license plate or window placard are permitted to park in Lot G. 
    Visit our Directions & Parking page for a map and more information.
     
  • How can I get a birthday or special message on the Scoreboard?
    Scoreboard messages are available for $100 with the proceeds going to the respected team’s charity. For the Chicago Blackhawks, call (312) 455-7000. For the Chicago Bulls, call (312) 455-4000. Messages are not available during concerts and special events.
     
  • I have special dietary restrictions. Can I bring my own food or beverages inside the United Center?
    Outside food or beverages are not permitted inside the arena. The United Center is proud to offer gluten-free, kosher, vegetarian and vegan menu items. Visit our Dining & Catering page or download the United Center Mobile App for a listing of special dining locations.
     
  • Where can I smoke at the United Center?
    Smoking of any type is not permitted anywhere inside the arena or on the United Center campus.
     
  • Is there a Lost and Found at the United Center?
    If you have lost an item during an event, please visit the nearest Guest Relations booth. Guest Relations booths are located at the entrance of Gates 2 and 6, the Lexus Club Level at Section 221, and on the 300 Level across from Section 325. After an event you may call (312) 455-4504 Monday through Friday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Please leave a voicemail with the item description, date it was lost, and your contact information. Please click here to visit the Lost and Found page. 

GENERAL GUEST RELATIONS INFORMATION

Accessibility
Arena Information
Directions & Parking
Food & Beverage
Media Information
Ticketing
Security

ACCESSIBILITY

Accessible Seating
To purchase accessible seating, please call the United Center directly at (312) 455-4509. Please provide as much information as possible when speaking with our representatives so that we can better service your needs and ensure a great experience. 

Animals
Only certified service animals or service animals in-training for guests with disabilities are allowed in the arena.

Hearing Assistance
Assistive listening devices (personal headsets) are available at the Guest Relations booths at Gate 2 or 6. A valid photo ID is required for use.

Sign Language Interpreters
A two-week notice is required for providing a certified sign language interpreter free of charge. Please contact the Guest Relations Department at (312) 455-4509.

Wheelchair Escorts
Wheelchair escorts are available by asking any United Center team member of visiting any Guest Relations booth.

ARENA INFORMATION

Address
The United Center is located at 1901 West Madison Street, Chicago, IL 60612.

American Express® Card Member Entry

American Express Card Members now have the luxury of entering the United Center through the dedicated American Express Gate. Show your American Express Card at the American Express Gate 30 minutes prior to gates opening so you and 3 ticketed guests can get into the arena extra early. Doors to the United Center open 90 minutes prior to regular season Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls games. The American Express Gate will be accessible for designated events at United Center including all Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls home games. The gate will not be accessible for concerts or special events at this time. Terms apply. For full details and map, click HERE.

 

ATMs

BMO Harris ATMs are located on the 100 Level next to the Team Store at section 117, inside the Box Office lobby (East Atrium), inside the Atrium located in the southeast corner, Lexus Club Level section 221, and on the 300 Level across from section 327.

 

Cameras
Following is the general camera policy that can be changed based on a specific request from the attraction or promoter:

Sporting Events: Non-flash, still cameras of any type may be used to take pictures of sporting events or events where house lights are illuminated during a performance as long as it does not interfere with other guests view. Any tripod or other photography equipment may not be used or placed in any area of the building without a building issued media credentials. Selfie sticks are not allowed inside the arena. No video recording devices, audio recorders or cameras with detachable lenses are allowed. 
Concerts and Other Events: No professional cameras, video recording devices or audio recorders are allowed. Please contact Guest Relations at (312) 455-4500 for specific event information.

Charitable Donations
For information on Chicago Bulls charitable donations or to request a donation, please visit bulls.com. For information on Chicago Blackhawks charitable donations or to request a donation, please visit blackhawks.nhl.com.

COVID-19
For more information on COVID-19 as it relates to United Center and its events, please click HERE.

Elevators
Elevators are located next to Gates 3 and 7.

Employment
For open positions at the United Center, or to submit a resume for future consideration, visit our Job Opportunities page.

Escalators
Escalators are located at Gates 2, 3, 6 and 7 and provide access to both the 200 Lexus Club Level and 300 Level.

First Aid
First Aid stations are located on the 100 Level across from section 115 and on the 300 Level across from section 327.

Gate Times
Gates generally open 90 minutes prior to the events and games. Family shows may vary. For a specific gate opening time, please visit the show's event page.

Guest Conduct
The United Center intends to provide all guests with a safe, comfortable, and friendly environment. Our family atmosphere prohibits foul or abusive language, and any violation of these policies may result in ejection. Guests with obscene or indecent clothing or who are seemingly intoxicated will not be granted access into the arena.

Guest Relations
Guest Relations booths are located at the entrance of Gates 2 and 6, the Lexus Club Level at section 221, and on the 300 Level across from section 325.

Merchandise
The Bulls Market/Blackhawks Store is a complete merchandise store located on the 100 Level across from Section 117. Satellite merchandise stands are also located throughout the arena. The Bulls Market/Blackhawks Store is generally only open for Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls games.

The Madhouse Team Store, located in the public atrium, is available for fans during atrium hours daily. 

Michael Jordan Statue
The Michael Jordan statue has been returned to its permanent location inside the new United Center atrium and is accessible to the public during the atrium's hours of operation. Hours of operation are as follows:

Atrium Hours

Monday - Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM

Saturday and Sunday: 10 AM - 5 PM
**PLEASE NOTE: The Atrium may have adjusted hours on specific dates. Please view hours HERE.**

 

NEW! Sensory Room

United Center offers a therapeutic space with a variety of equipment that provide a calming peaceful environment for guest with sensory needs.  Guest needing a quiet space can visit the Guest Relations Booth at Gate 2 to request access to the room. The New Sensory Room is located at Gate 2 1/2.  For any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].

 

Nursing Room

United Center offers a private, comfortable space for nursing mothers attending events. Mothers interested in using the Nursing Room, located near Section 112/113 (Gate 7), can visit Guest Relations Booth at Gate 6 to request access to the room. The door to the Nursing Room is secured with a keypad and will lock automatically to ensure the privacy of our guests. For any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].

 

Restrooms
Restrooms are located on all levels. Family restrooms are located on the 100 Level in the First Aid room across from Section 115/116, and on the 300 Level at the top of Section 303/304. For a map of restrooms by Level, download the United Center Mobile App.

Re-Entry
Re-entry into the arena is prohibited during all events.

Rooms
Banquet and meeting rooms are available for special events. Contact Levy Restaurants at (312) 455-7412 for information and availability.

Sensory Inclusive Venue
United Center is proudly certified as a sensory inclusive venue in Chicago. United Center staff has been trained by medical professionals on recognizing guests with sensory needs and how to properly handle a sensory overload situation. United Center now offers a therapeutic space with a variety of equipment that provide a calming peaceful environment for guest with sensory needs. Guest needing a quiet space can visit the Guest Relations Booth at Gate 2 to request access to the room. The New Sensory Room is located at Gate 2 1/2.

Additionally, the arena has sensory bags available for guests to check out at Guest Relations Booths located inside Gates 2 and 6 on the 100 level, Section 221 and Section 325. Sensory bags include noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads.

 

Scoreboard Messages

Scoreboard messages are available for $100 with the proceeds going to the respected team’s charity. For the Chicago Blackhawks, call (312) 455-7000. For the Chicago Bulls, call (312) 455-4000. Messages are not available during concerts and special events.

Seating
All seating in the arena is assigned; guests should retain their ticket throughout the event and be prepared to show their ticket when entering the specific seating area.

Smoking Policy
Smoking of any type is not permitted anywhere inside the arena or on the United Center campus.

Tours
No Tours until further notice.

Zamboni Rides
For information on Zamboni rides during Chicago Blackhawks games, call (312) 455-7000.

DIRECTIONS & PARKING

Parking

  • Lot A–Fan Parking
  • Lot B–Fan Parking
  • Lot C–Fan Parking
  • Lot E–Uber Zone
  • Lot F–Fan Parking
  • Lot G South–ADA Parking 
  • Lot K–Fan Parking
  • Lot D–Fan Parking 
  • Lot J–Fan Parking
  • Lot H–Fan Parking

All official United Center parking lots are conveniently located near the arena and can be accessed from Damen Ave. , Madison St., Adams St., Warren Blvd., Wood St., Monroe St., and Washington St. For information and directions, visit our Directions and Parking page. Vehicle assistance is available if you parked in an official United Center lot. Please stop by the Security Desk in the East Atrium for assistance including battery jumping.

PLEASE NOTE: Parking lots open to public 2.5 hours prior to event time.

Uber Zone
Our Uber Zone is temporarily unavailable. Drop off and Pick Up have been relocated to the following locations:

UBER Drop Off – Located at Monroe and Wood St.
Pickups - Located at Monroe and Wood St 

  • Madison and Damen (Line up on South of Madison)
  • Taxis, limos, bar trolley Monroe and Wood St, Paulina St for drop off and pickup

 

To increase and streamline the fan experience for guests who take Uber to and from the United Center, the new Uber Zone is located at the corner of Madison Street and Wood Street (Lot E) and will combine the three former Uber locations around the arena. Traffic leading to the three prior Uber pickup locations 1) Zone A, previously located on Wood Street & Washington Blvd. near Lot A, 2) Zone D, previously located on Monroe Street & S. Paulina Street near Lot D and 3) Zone F, previously located on Monroe Street & Seeley Ave. near Lot F will now be directed towards the one new Uber Zone in Lot E.

 

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Dining Options
The Blackhawks, Bulls, United Center and Levy Restaurants have curated a collection of Chicago’s best dining options accessible to every guest that walks through the gates. We are dedicated to setting new standards for the fan experience with a world-class roster highlighting some of the city’s best loved and exclusive menu items right inside the United Center. Keeping with tradition, longtime fan favorites will continue to be a staple of our dining options. Check out our new food and beverage options at chicagosplate.unitedcenter.com.

MEDIA INFORMATION

Press Inquiries
To request information about a specific event or to request media credentials, please visit our Press Inquiries page.

TICKETING

United Center Box Office Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 11 AM - 5 PM
Sunday: CLOSED
**On event days, the Box Office will open at 11 AM and close at the start of the event.**

Children
For Bulls, Blackhawks and Feld Entertainment events, children under 36” do not need a ticket but must remain on the lap of an adult. One child per lap.
For all concerts events, all guests, including children, are required to have a ticket to enter the arena.
For collegiate and any other event, call 312-455-4500 for specific details.

Group Sales
Group sales are available for all events. For non-Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls events, please call (312) 455-7469. For Chicago Blackhawks events, visit blackhawks.nhl.com. For Chicago Bulls events, visit bulls.com.

Lost, Stolen and Counterfeit Tickets
The United Center can only guarantee the validity of event tickets purchased from unitedcenter.com, the United Center Box Office, Ticketmaster. com, Ticketmaster Outlets, TicketExchange or by calling (800) 745-3000. Fans who obtain tickets from unauthorized dealers or from other fans run the risk of buying lost, stolen or counterfeit tickets which will not be honored for admission, and will not be eligible for any type of refund or exchange.

Mobile Ticketing
You now have the convenience of using your smartphone as your game ticket. You no longer need to bring your physical tickets to the game. Your smartphone is your ticket to the game. This includes season tickets and single game tickets purchased online or forwarded by email through authorized outlets including Chicagoblackhawks.com, Chicagobulls.com, ClickTix, TicketExchange, Ticketmaster.com or other United Center approved outlets. Check out our Mobile Ticketing Guide for step-by-step instructions and FAQs.
**Tickets in the form of a .pdf cannot be scanned on your smart phone at the gates — Tickets in the form of a .pdf must be printed on paper in advance for entry

Premium Seating
The United Center Premium Seating areas feature 167 Executive Suites on three levels, one area on the Club Suite Level containing (34) Budweiser Champions Club Boxes, 5 Super Suites on the Penthouse Level, and the BMO Harris Club on the Club Suite Level. To inquire about leasing an Executive Suite, Champions Club Box or seats in the BMO Harris Club, please call (312) 455-4120. To inquire about renting an Executive Suite or Super Suite for a particular event, please call (312) 455-4119.

Purchasing Tickets
Tickets may be purchased in person at the Gate 4 Box Office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, or visiting ticketmaster.com. The United Center Box Office accepts American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. For details and a listing of Ticketmaster Outlets, visit our Box Office Information page.

Will Call
Will Call pickup is located at the Main Box Office located in the East Atrium. A valid photo ID is required when picking up tickets.

SECURITY

Backpacks & Bags
Guests may enter the arena with a small purse or personal bag up to 10” x 6” x 2“ in size. Backpacks are prohibited. Limited exceptions for medical or diaper bags will be allowed.

Entry Inspections
All guests entering the arena are subject to visual inspection, bag check, and metal detection conducted by United Center security. Guests will be required to walk through metal detectors at all gates. This revised procedure will replace wanding at the entrances.

Lost and Found
If you have lost an item during an event, please visit the nearest Guest Relations booth. To inquire about a lost item after an event, please click here. Unclaimed items will be disposed of after 24 hours.

Prohibited Items
Guests of the United Center are prohibited from entering the arena with the following:

  • Air horns or any other artificial noise makers
  • Animals (excluding service animals)
  • Banners, signs or flags
  • Bags
  • Bottles or cans
  • Cameras with detachable lenses
  • Fireworks
  • Laptops
  • Laser pens or laser products of any type
  • Outside food or beverage of any kind (alcoholic beverages included)
  • Poles or sticks
  • Projectiles
  • Selfie sticks
  • Umbrellas (any size)
  • Weapons of any kind, including guns, knives, ammunition, explosives, pepper spray and mace.
  • Any other item deemed unacceptable by the United Center. The United Center will not store any of the aforementioned items.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Additional restrictions may be required on certain event days.

Strollers
Strollers must be checked in at any of the Guest Relations booths located at Gates 2 or 6, the Lexus Club Level at section 221, or on the 300 Level across from section 325.

The United Center reserves the right to change or modify these policies at anytime and without notice. The United Center is not responsible for any property that is lost, stolen or damaged. For the most current information, please call (312) 455-4500.


How Does a Basketball Court Change Into an Ice Hockey Rink?

TECHNOLOGY — Engineering

Have You Ever Wondered...

  • How does a basketball court change into an ice hockey rink?
  • How long does the ice in a hockey rink last?
  • How long does it take to convert a basketball court to an ice hockey rink?
Tags:

See All Tags

  • Sports,
  • Technology,
  • Los Angeles,
  • Staples Center,
  • Professional,
  • Franchise,
  • Los Angeles Lakers,
  • Los Angeles Clippers,
  • Los Angeles Kings,
  • Basketball,
  • Team,
  • Ice Hockey,
  • Game,
  • Arena,
  • Rink,
  • Court,
  • Crew,
  • Convert,
  • Season,
  • Layer,
  • Frozen,
  • Calcium-Chloride,
  • Solution,
  • Brinewater,
  • Concrete,
  • Ice,
  • Wall,
  • Glass,
  • Panel,
  • Insulated,
  • Plywood,
  • Process,
  • Denver Nuggets,
  • Front End Loader,
  • Sports,
  • Technology,
  • Los Angeles,
  • Staples Center,
  • Professional,
  • Franchise,
  • Los Angeles Lakers,
  • Los Angeles Clippers,
  • Los Angeles Kings,
  • Basketball,
  • Team,
  • Ice Hockey,
  • Game,
  • Arena,
  • Rink,
  • Court,
  • Crew,
  • Convert,
  • Season,
  • Layer,
  • Frozen,
  • Calcium-Chloride,
  • Solution,
  • Brinewater,
  • Concrete,
  • Ice,
  • Wall,
  • Glass,
  • Panel,
  • Insulated,
  • Plywood,
  • Process,
  • Denver Nuggets,
  • Front End Loader

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by lucas. lucas Wonders, “how do they change a basketball stadium to a ice rank” Thanks for WONDERing with us, lucas!

Have you ever been to Los Angeles? If you have and you're a sports fan, there's one place you may have had the chance to visit: the Staples Center. In addition to hosting concerts and all sorts of special events, the Staples Center is also home to three professional sports franchises: the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, and the Los Angeles Kings ice hockey team.

Back in May 2012, the Staples Center was an exciting place to be. All three teams made the playoffs, requiring the arena to host six playoff games in just four days. The Staples Center had to change from a Kings ice hockey rink to a Lakers basketball court to a Clippers basketball court and back over the course of less than a week.

Thanks to the modern technology that exists in today's sports arenas, the crews that man the Staples Center were able to transition between basketball courts and ice hockey rinks quickly. In fact, these transitions occur all over the country, since many cities have arenas that host both professional basketball and ice hockey teams.

If you think it sounds like a lot of work to convert an ice hockey rink to a basketball court and back again, you're right. Depending upon the technology used and the workforce available, the transition can take dozens of workers as few as 90 minutes or just a few workers an entire day to complete.

If a crew had to create a new ice hockey rink for each game, the process would be much more complicated. What many people don't realize, however, is that once an ice hockey rink is created at the start of the season, it stays in place until the season and playoffs are over.

The layer of ice on an ice hockey rink is only about an inch thick. However, it is created out of many tiny layers of ice to make sure the ice is strong and durable. It remains frozen throughout the season thanks to a calcium-chloride solution (called brinewater) that is cooled and circulated in the layer of concrete that forms the base of the ice layer.

When it's time to convert an ice hockey rink to a basketball court, the walls and glass panels around the rink are removed. Then large pieces of insulated plywood are laid out over the top of the ice. Finally the basketball court is pieced together like a puzzle on top of the plywood. The special plywood keeps the ice cool and the court warm. After the game, the process is reversed to get the arena ready for the next ice hockey game.

So when the basketball players are out there slam dunking the basketball through the hoop, the court they're running on still has the ice hockey rink beneath it. Don't worry about the basketball court sliding on the ice, though. It's heavy enough to stay in place on its own. For example, the basketball court the Denver Nuggets team plays on consists of 285 pieces that weigh 186 pounds each, which adds up to a court that weighs 26.5 tons!

The ice in an ice hockey rink is only removed when the regular season and playoffs are finished. When it's time to get rid of the ice, the brinewater is warmed and circulated under the ice to begin the melting process. Once the ice has melted sufficiently, it is then broken up and carted off by front end loaders.

Wonder What's Next?

Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day might lead to some interesting conversations in your garden!

Try It Out

Are you ready to take to the court? Be sure to check out the following activities with a friend or family member:

  • Which professional basketball teams share arenas with professional hockey teams? Do your own Internet research to find out the answer! Before you get started, though, take a guess at how many teams share facilities. Start making your list by writing down all of the professional basketball and hockey teams you can think of. Then complete your research online. Were there more or fewer teams that share facilities than you thought there'd be?
  • Why do you think professional teams share facilities? Why don't they all just build their own arenas? Think about the economics of switching from court to rink and back. Compare those costs to the expense of building and maintaining an arena. You'll probably need to do a bit of independent research to determine some approximate costs for these things. Based upon your research, what do you conclude about the wisdom of switching from court to rink and back versus building individual arenas?
  • With technology constantly evolving, the means of switching between basketball courts and ice hockey rinks might change over time. Can you envision any inventions that might make the process easier in the future? Could new arenas be designed in such a way that switching between uses could be faster and easier? Let your imagination roam and write down or draw pictures of ideas you think could revolutionize these processes in the future. Share your ideas with a friend or family member. What do they think about your ideas?

Wonder Sources

  • http://www.core77.com/posts/22530/how-do-they-change-stadiums-from-hockey-rinks-to-basketball-courts-in-90-minutes-and-move-an-entire-football-field-22530
  • http://graphics. chicagotribune.com/gamechangers/
  • http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/ice-rink3.htm/printable
  • http://headsup.boyslife.org/transforming-an-nba-basketball-court-into-an-nhl-hockey-rink/

Did you get it?

Test your knowledge

Wonder Contributors

We’d like to thank:

Amiya
for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

Keep WONDERing with us!

What are you wondering?

Wonder Words

  • few
  • team
  • rink
  • game
  • crew
  • court
  • franchise
  • playoff
  • convert
  • season
  • durable
  • solution
  • transition
  • available
  • complicated
  • throughout
  • circulated
  • insulated

Take the Wonder Word Challenge

Rate this wonder
Share this wonder
×
GET YOUR WONDER DAILY

Subscribe to Wonderopolis and receive the Wonder of the Day® via email or SMS

Join the Buzz

Don’t miss our special deals, gifts and promotions. Be the first to know!

Share with the World

Tell everybody about Wonderopolis and its wonders.

Share Wonderopolis
Wonderopolis Widget

Interested in sharing Wonderopolis® every day? Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together.

Add widget

You Got It!

Continue

Not Quite!

Try Again

Cleaning the basketball floor turns into a brainwash

Fun floor polisher .

The International Basketball Federation continues its war on club basketball: teams do not let players into the national team when they have matches in the Euroleague. And while the federation is trying with all its might to kill interest in its product, there are people who still attract spectators to national team games.

And it's not even about the players.

Since 2017, the selection for the World Cup has changed: now it takes place in the home-away format, like in football. But not in Africa: here the matches of each group are played in one place. For example, all teams in Group C (Angola, Egypt, DR Congo and Morocco) held the first stage this week in Luanda, the capital of Angola. The Angolan national team won all the matches on the home parquet, because this parquet is not easy. It is cleaned by a special polisher.

Meet António Lourenço Van Dunem, better known as Toy Limpa Shan (limpa chão in Portuguese means "clear floor"), African basketball's premier showman. He not only cheerfully wipes the parquet, but also fervently dances. And he does not hold hospitality. Here he helps the Egyptian center Omar Orabi, who is four times the size of Toy himself, stand up:

They immediately began to talk about the floor polisher more than about the entire World Cup qualification. Toy's performances perfectly match the slogan of the #ThisIsMyHouse tournament - "This is my house. " The house, which Toy Limpa Shan carefully looks after and is always glad to see guests.

It's not the first time Toya's dancing videos have gone viral. Is there any reason to talk about the Women's (!) Club (!!) African Championship (!!!) in 2015? Yes, and his name is Toy Limpa Shan:

Portuguese Basketball Super Cup? Limpa Shan:

World Quad Hockey Championship (google it, does this sport exist)? Also Toy Limpa Shan!

"Clean Floor" has become a star in Angola and Portugal and now receives invitations to local talk shows. On which, of course, gracefully rubs the floors.

António started working for a cleaning company back in 1998, and four years later he received an offer to be the “mop guy” at the matches of the country's main basketball club, Primero do Agosto (18 Angola titles). Thus began his sports-dance-wiping career.

Toy likes this job, which he turned from a routine into an art. At first, he and his family were ashamed of his craft, but now Toy wants to become an example for Angolan youth: “The income is small, but enough. And it's much better than somewhere on a dark night to engage in robbery.

Toy's next goal is to get into the NBA. And I really want the main league of the world, which appreciates entertainment in game breaks so much, to pay attention to the dancing floor polisher from Africa.

The biggest psycho in NBA history: Artest or Rodman?

The most popular sports app in Ukraine - Tribuna.com for Android and iOS

The main fan of Brooklyn. About the woman who increased the value of the Nets

Irina Pavlova brought British aristocrats to the games and supervised the construction of a training center.

It's funny that a game where everything is ultimately decided by the simple rule "whoever scores the most wins" depends a lot on such vague concepts as opportunities, intentions, individual perceptions. In many ways, they form the culture of any organization, which turns into a brand, and often becomes a much more important tool for attracting employees and customers than checks with many zeros.

Irina Pavlova knew about this even before Mikhail Prokhorov invited her to take a leadership position at the Brooklyn Nets. Born in the United States in the family of a diplomat, at 19On the 85th, as a 15-year-old girl, she returned to a country that was also called the USSR. By that time, Pavlova already clearly understood how important it was to be able to build relationships, find common interests among people of different professions and speak the same language with them. These qualities helped her to later graduate from Stanford and become one of the first employees of Google when the company began to develop the Russian market.

Irina worked in the corporation from 2005 to 2009, before her longtime friend Dmitry Razumov, head of the Onexim Sports & Entertainment holding owned by Mikhail Prokhorov, offered her to discuss a new position in a large-scale project that began with the purchase of a basketball club .

https://twitter.com/netsdaily/status/563402113766936577

Now it’s hard to understand whether corporate ethics spoke through Irina’s mouth or her words were pure revelation, but in one of the numerous interviews she admitted that sports specificity played far from last role:

- If buying a baseball club was a priority, then it would be hard for me, and I don’t know if I would agree to this job. I can’t say that I was a big basketball fan before joining Onexim and the Nets, but I quickly got involved and became a fan of our team.

Pavlova's position included a whole range of responsibilities: marketing, negotiating television contracts, PR, monitoring the dynamics of sales of club merchandise, finding sponsors, compliance with legal obligations when signing major contracts. Simply put, Pavlova was engaged in the formation of the very image, which implies the presence of new prospects and opportunities for players, fans and financial partners.

https://twitter.com/nba/status/521174603797102592

— Every club has two components — basketball and business. It is very important to be able to combine them so that the interests of these areas feel and complement each other. In this regard, the San Antonio Spurs are very successful, whose management is one of the standards in the entire league, these words were uttered by Pavlova in the first half of the past decade, when the work of R. C. Buford was indeed considered impeccable, and Greg Popovich was still interested in basketball.

Since then, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, but the fact that Sean Marks, a native of the Spurs system, later became the general manager of Brooklyn, confirms Pavlova's professional insight. By the way, Irina herself was part of the pool of leaders who interviewed for the position of general manager, and the fact that in the end the choice was made in favor of Marx is partly due to her merit.

Such a decision logically fits into the attitude of Pavlova, who has always considered herself a fatalist, often mentioning that if it were not for her faith in fate and a happy accident, she would not work either at Google or at Nets. Irina became one of those thanks to whom Brooklyn managed to create, if not the fundamental culture of a winning club, but the illusion that it can become one. And now we see how the illusion becomes reality.

https://twitter.com/complexsports/status/1349464627902631941

Pavlova oversaw the arrival of Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, to the team's matches, supervised the construction of the club's training center. Thanks to her efforts and the efforts of her assistants, the club sold a record 11,000 season tickets in the 2012/2013 season, while the cost of a seat in the VIP zone was about 120,000.

But Popova’s work is best characterized by another figure: Prokhorov bought the actually unprofitable New Jersey Nets club for 200 million, which eventually turned into the construction of a new arena, the Barclays Center, the creation of a radically new, attractive to consumers brand Brooklyn Nets and the subsequent resale of the club for 2. 35 billion to the co-founder and president of the trading conglomerate Alibaba Group, Joseph Tsai.

https://twitter.com/brooklynnets/status/700030012158828544

Pavlova is hardly the person to blame for the Nets not winning the championship or making a lot of mistakes in the formation of the lineup. Her segment of work was mostly focused on business, and there is no doubt that the Brooklyn Nets ended up being a profitable project for the “representatives of Russian expansion”.

Just as there is no doubt that Pavlova was not an accidental person in her position. Even before Brooklyn was sold in 2019Well, Pavlova made some interesting investments. When she herself asked to be relieved of her post in 2017, she invested in Keemotion, an American start-up specializing in television broadcasting of sports events.

Keemotion is an AI-powered video platform that connects coaches, multiple professional leagues and fans. The project became one of the six finalists of the Cannes Lions international festival in the Innovative Technologies nomination, and in addition to Pavlova, representatives of the Philadelphia 66ers basketball team, the New Jersey Devils hockey team and the DC United football team invested in it .


Learn more