INDIANAPOLIS — The Madness in March is here, literally.
For the first time since COVID-19, the Sweet 16 is back in Indianapolis. WRTV went behind the scenes to see how court preparations got underway at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“We live for this. I love this event,” said Eric Neuburger, the director of Lucas Oil Stadium.
On Tuesday morning, the installation for the custom basketball got underway at the stadium.
Connor Sports has been the official supplier of the NCAA Final Four since 2006 and is behind the entire process.
They told WRTV it takes around a year for the wood to go from the forest to the floor.
“We start pulling all the lumber out of sustainably harvested forests up north in the Upper Peninsula. Those then go to our manufacturing mill,” explained Zach Riberdy, the Marketing Director with the company based in Amasa, Michigan. “Then this floor that you're looking at right here was sent to our finishers in Ohio."
The maple hardwood is made from renewable resources.
Once it’s finished, graphics are put on, and it is ready for prime time.
A crew of 10-12 people works on assembly.
It can take up to four hours to lay out more than 350 panel pieces, each weighing up to 200 pounds and around 58,000 pounds in total.
This year, the custom court will be on an elevated stage at the stadium, which will help the fan experience.
"When it's on the floor, it's similar to how you would watch an NBA game or a college basketball game. It's going to be there right while we're doing the elevated stage here,” Riberdy told WRTV. “The goal with this is to improve total sight line.”
The court installation process can be lengthy, but officials told WRTV the impact of the event goes well beyond basketball.
“It’s huge for the city. Everybody travels in. They stay in our hotels. They purchase food and beverages at our great restaurants, and they visit all the other amenities we have in Indianapolis,” said Neuburger.
“That's absolutely why the Sports Corp [has] been doing this for over 45 years. It's about using the sports as an economic driver,” added Patrick Talty, the President of the Indiana Sports Corp.
The organization expects to see around 35,000 fans flood the Circle City for the regional weekend, including thousands of Purdue fans from West Lafayette.
Local businesses WRTV talked to said they’re ready for the rush.
“The Big Ten game is a warm up as far as for the men’s and women’s championships the last few weeks,” said Terry Anthony, the Executive Chef and Owner of the Block Bistro and Grill.
His restaurant opened in 2021 and is just minutes away from Lucas Oil.
Anthony told WRTV that major events like these are a game changer for them.
“They are the lifeblood for all of us restaurants and all of businesses,” he said. “We live right now off of those events.”
The goal is to draw in the fans for sports and have them come back for what the city of Indianapolis has to offer.
“We don't ever stop thinking about how we can raise the bar again and again and again and make it more unique each and every time that they come,” added Talty.
The Sweet 16 in Indianapolis tips off Friday night with SEC rivals Tennessee and Kentucky around 7:30.
Top seed Houston takes on Purdue Friday a little after 10 p.m.
Next year, Indianapolis will host the Men’s Final Four, and in 2028, the city will host the women's.
Once games wrap up on the hardwood this year, the court will be recycled.
