"We decided to go with the growing popularity of the two-tone wood style," says Cavs Graphics Manager, Mark Podolak, the creator of the new court design. "One major difference that makes our floor truly unique is the placement of the dark and light areas of wood. Most every court that uses this two-toned wood has a lighter area in the 3-point region. Our floor is different in that the 3-point area is dark while the rest of the floor consists of the lighter shade of wood."
Begun at the end of last season, the court was constructed by Robbins Floor, an Ishpeming, Michigan company on the state's Upper Peninsula which has fashioned flooring for the majority of NBA teams and numerous NCAA schools.
In addition to the two-tone wood style, Cavs fans may note that the baseline has been changed to read "Cleveland Cavaliers" in the team's new navy color, an immensely popular hue last season with both players and fans alike. Also, the team has taken to a more old-school look with the center-court logo, going with the 'Cavaliers' script that stretches across the home jersey.
It was an extensive process involving the researching of NBA floors throughout the league, then experimenting with a wide range of designs, until arriving at a creative consensus with the current look between Cavaliers ownership and league officials. "We're not only proud of the new court, but excited about it as well," says Podolak. "It's a great way to start an exciting season, with one of the most unique floors in the league showcasing one of the league's best teams."