George Washington University’s new basketball court design includes White House, Capitol and Washington Monument
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Forget about shooting from downtown, George Washington University basketball players will be pulling up from the White House — and the Capitol and the Washington Monument — next season.
The university became the latest program to bring part of the community inside the gym when it unveiled plans for a new court on Monday, which features images of the three Washington landmarks.
“When people around the world are watching our games, we want them to immediately recognize and understand the university's unique setting in the middle of the action in this world-class city,” GW athletic director Patrick Nero said in a press release.
The images will be on the sideline across from the team benches and one baseline will be stamped GEORGE WASHINGTON while the other reads #RaiseHigh. The Twitter hashtag is a reference to a phrase in the school’s fight song, and has been used as a social media rallying cry, but it could prove to be a short-lived addition given the NCAA’s ruling earlier this month to outlaw the use of Twitter handles or hashtags on football fields (the ruling was specific to the gridiron).
Nevertheless, the design appears to be a hit.
“Pardon the pun, but it’s been a slam dunk,” Brian Sereno, the Colonials’ director of athletics communications, said in an e-mail. “Phenomenal reaction and reception on social media.”
The trend of on-court graphics has been growing in recent years, beginning with Oregon’s tree-lined court at Knight Arena — it’s meant to appear as if the game is being played amid a forest of fir trees — and Long Beach State’s — you guessed it — beach-themed court.
Apparently there was no room for the Lincoln Memorial on George’s home court. Presidential rivalries must die hard.