BOK Center undergoing NCAA transformation for tourney

BY BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011
5/31/12 at 7:46 AM

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Tickets are available online at the link above or by calling 1-866-726-5287. They're also available at the BOK Center. All-session tickets are $237. If available, single session tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

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Crews installed the official NCAA basketball tournament floor at the BOK Center this morning and were busy making other preparations for March Madness to descend on Tulsa.

“The NCAA’s goal is to have all eight of the second- and third-round sites look as similar as possible,” BOK Center Special Events and Booking Manager Jeff Nickler said.

“An absolutely identical court is shipped to all sites. That’s 225 pieces right there of polished maple fit together.”

Arena staff began the project at 8 a.m., and were finished piecing the squares together like a puzzle within two hours.

The BOK Center is hosting rounds, featuring Kansas, Texas, Memphis and other teams, on Friday and Sunday.

With more than 350 credentialed media arriving to cover the games, courtside tables for them were setup.

And underneath the bowl, a massive interview and media work and eating area was established where a storage area used to be.

But one of the staff’s biggest challenges has been to cover up all of the advertising throughout the building.

The trash cans are turned to hide the BOK Center’s logo, Mazzio’s pizza banners have been taken down, Pepsi products will be served in generic cups, the Ford vehicles displayed in the concourse have been moved and a drape is covering a Hard Rock Casino display.

The LED ribbon that wraps around the arena’s bowl will only display NCAA-approved content.

“Every single detail has been spelled out by the NCAA,” Nickler said.

Read more in Tuesday’s Tulsa World.

Associated Images:

Workers put the finishing touches on the BOK Center in preparation for the NCAA basketball tournament games this weekend. ADAM WISNESKI/Tulsa World

Connor flooring workers Don Gibson, left, and Ryan Weiss unroll a banner to be placed on the floor as the finishing touches are put on the BOK Center in preparation for the NCAA basketball tournament games this weekend. ADAM WISNESKI/Tulsa World

Connor flooring workers Don Gibson, right, and Ryan Weiss unroll a banner to be placed on the floor as the finishing touches are put on the BOK Center in preparation for the NCAA basketball tournament games this weekend. ADAM WISNESKI/Tulsa World

Don Gibson sands down a repair spot in the wooden floor that was set up at the BOK Center in preparation for the NCAA tournament games this weekend. ADAM WISNESKI/Tulsa World

Workers set up chairs at the BOK Center in preparation for the NCAA tournament games this weekend. ADAM WISNESKI/Tulsa World

Foreman Matt Hartley measures the height of the basketball hoop at the BOK Center in preparation for the NCAA tournament games this weekend. ADAM WISNESKI/Tulsa World

An employee from Spalding who did not wish to be named measures the basketball hoop at the BOK Center in preparation for the NCAA tournament games this weekend. ADAM WISNESKI/Tulsa World

From right, Steven Williams, Bobby Underwood, and Clint Davidson unroll a carpet next to the basketball floor at the BOK Center in preparation for the NCAA tournament games this weekend. ADAM WISNESKI/Tulsa World