Large arena tips?

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Danvrapp

Any thing to look out for or be aware of?

I worked a game at the Verizon Center in DC a few yrs back. 18K seat arena w/ about 400 in attendance for our game prior to an NBA event......

My experience was similar to others.

- Took me a while to adjust to the long scorers table.
- The lights were brighter and the court seemed warmer.
- Floor appeared much more cushioned and easier on my feet.
- Baskets/rims/backboard seemed to have more give and appeared quieter.
- The overhead scoreboard took getting used to as when you go to peek up at it, you're underneath it and can see very little. I had to find the clock either above the basket or along the overhangs of the arena.
- Most importantly for me though, my Fox 40 seemed inadequate. It just seemed to get swallowed up by the sheer size of the venue. I wish I had had a better whistle.
- Much nicer locker rooms and showers!

After our game the 76ers and Wizzards were warming up. The shortest player that walked by me, was nearly as tall as the tallest player I'd ever officiated.

Have fun and enjoy.

[Raymond]

You'll appreciate how the long courtside table keeps the benches away from the scorer and timer, and from you when you're on the opposite end of the court.

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by grunewar

my Fox 40 seemed inadequate. It just seemed to get swallowed up by the sheer size of the venue. I wish I had had a better whistle.

Back in those big OK gyms I mentioned earlier, my partners and I would use Dolphin whistles as long as we all had them (so they'd sound the same). Worked well to solve this problem.


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[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by grunewar

- Most importantly for me though, my Fox 40 seemed inadequate.

Huh. I know in soccer the Fox 40 gets used in packed professional stadiums. What whistle to college/NBA basketball refs tend to use?

[Rich]

I've worked in D1 arenas before and have never changed whistles.

[constable]

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

Huh. I know in soccer the Fox 40 gets used in packed professional stadiums. What whistle to college/NBA basketball refs tend to use?

Fox 40 classic. Fox 40 is the only brand they are allowed to use. I suspect if they wanted to they could use the mini( not as loud) eclipse( sounds goofy, needs more air to get a similar sound to the classic) or the Sonik ( sounds awful) .

[Rich]

Originally Posted by constable

Fox 40 classic. Fox 40 is the only brand they are allowed to use. I suspect if they wanted to they could use the mini( not as loud) eclipse( sounds goofy, needs more air to get a similar sound to the classic) or the Sonik ( sounds awful) .

I've used the Eclipse for a few years now. Same decibel rating as the Classic.

[constable]

Originally Posted by Rich

I've used the Eclipse for a few years now. Same decibel rating as the Classic.

It is but you need to push more air through it to achieve the same sound.

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[Rich]

Originally Posted by constable

It is but you need to push more air through it to achieve the same sound.

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I gotta lot of hot air.

[Danvrapp]

So after working the game, here are some things I noticed:

The lights are really bright. Almost to the point that if I looked up I got blinded.

The floor was great to run on, but if I was earning $10 million to play on that floor, there were a lot of what seemed like dead spots.

The board that showed fouls and timeouts only went up to 4 (for fouls) and 3 (for timeouts)! I guess that's because either a) the arena is for NBA or b) the guys working the table didn't know how to work the board. Either way, it made keeping track of the fouls a bit more difficult than normal.

Apparently, the key in NBA is about a foot and a half wider on each side than in NFHS. High school games, the key extends down from the semi-circle at the edge(s) of the foul line. On the Cavs court, the lane lines were outside the edge(s) of the free-throw lines. Didn't know that...

It definitely sounded quieter than normal when we put air in the whistle!

It was fun (and extremely distracting!) to imagine officiating in front of 18,000 people with a bunch of A-list celebrities (well...in Cleveland, maybe B+ list celebrities) sitting 3 feet off the court.

Good times, though.