🔎 Basketball's Next Great Innovation: Glass Courts (No, Seriously)

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Happy Wednesday,

In 133 years, basketball players have changed a lot, but the floor hasn’t.

Still, as the game has gotten faster, more explosive, and more physically demanding, hardwood has remained the standard, even though it was never built for the modern athlete. No shock absorption. No real innovation. Just paint and polish.

That’s what ASB GlassFloor is trying to fix.

This week, Jake and I sat down with Chris Thornton, President of ASB Americas, to talk about the rise of LED glass courts; why they’re easier on players’ joints, how they’re already being used in Europe and by the NBA All-Star Game, and what it would take for teams in North America to make the switch.

Because if the floor itself can reduce injuries and open up a new category of sponsorship? That’s more than a surface upgrade. That’s a full-court reset.

🎧 [Listen to our full episode with Chris Thornton]

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5 Takeaways From Our Conversation With Chris Thornton

1. Hardwood hasn’t evolved, but basketball has.
Basketball is the only major sport that hasn’t adopted multiple surfaces. Tennis has four. Football has turf and grass. Hockey players adapt to hard or soft ice.

Hardwood, by contrast, hasn’t materially changed in over 100 years, despite growing concerns over:

• Player health

• Joint stress

• Performance consistency

“We’ve made courts more eco-friendly, but not better. It’s the same material we’ve always used.” - Chris Thornton

2. The performance benefits are real (and measurable).
ASB’s glass surface isn’t just about visuals. It’s engineered for bounce consistency, uniform grip, and joint-friendly landings. The result is less wear and tear, more control, and fewer dead spots.

Chris told us that many NBA players who’ve trained on the surface now prefer it over hardwood.

3. This isn’t just a concept — it’s already in use.
ASB GlassFloor has been installed in arenas across Europe and Asia and was featured at the NBA All-Star Game. The company’s Orlando facility hosts every NBA team that travels to play the Magic, and many players return to train on it.

ASB also recently partnered with ShotTracker to display in-game shooting data directly on the floor, turning the court itself into a real-time feedback tool.

4. GlassFloor unlocks new inventory for teams and venues.
With the floor acting as a giant LED screen, teams can introduce sponsorship and content moments that aren’t possible with hardwood:

• Rotating sponsor logos during warmups or timeouts

• Branded activations tied to highlights (e.g. slam dunks)

• Event-specific court designs

• Fan-created or community-inspired visuals

• Multi-sport overlays with the push of a button

Chris calls it “a new category of in-game advertising,” and leagues are already experimenting with how to price it.

5. The pitch isn’t just tech, it’s economics.
A hardwood court might cost $100K–$200K. A full GlassFloor install runs up to $2.5M. But the durability (75-year warranty on the glass) and revenue potential could offset that quickly.

That’s why Chris is starting at the top:
1. Convince the pros, then scale down.
2. Make the case with revenue, not just design.
3. Build fans’ trust by earning players’ trust first.

“We’re not trying to replace hardwood. We’re building something better.” - Chris Thornton

Why It Matters:

ASB GlassFloor isn’t just an aesthetic upgrade; it’s a wedge into the most unchanging part of the basketball ecosystem.

And if it catches on, it will:

• Reduce injuries by softening landings

• Let teams generate more revenue per square foot

• Turn the playing surface into a platform for content, training, and fan interaction

Courts have always been passive infrastructure. This one isn't.

🎧 [Listen to our full episode with Chris Thornton]

📩 And don’t forget: Bottom of the Ninth is back this Friday with the top three stories in sports and business from the week.

See you then,
Tyler & Jake