Sky Court: A New Evolution of Playground http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Sky_Court_A_New_Evolution_of_-149035-822.html Every year the Houston Rockets organization tries to do a little more to provide for the fans. Our fans are the best in the NBA and the Rockets are always looking for ways to accomodate them. This year, the organization has found another way to enhance fans’ experience during Rockets home games. Early June 2005, the Rockets, led by business development managers Lindsay Derman and Erin Schnieders, and sponsorship partner Memorial Hermann Healthcare System started development on the Memorial Hermann Sky Court, a 5,000-square-foot interactive area that will be located on the upper concourse level of Toyota Center. The purpose of the Sky Court is to enhance the family atmosphere and experience in the upper concourse while building the Rockets brand by displaying Clutch and figures of the Rockets’ past and history to appeal towards fans. "First, we wanted to make it a more family-fun experience. Now you can come an hour early [before games] and enjoy competitive games, learn about the history of the Rockets, and help build our brand,” Derman said. “Second, we wanted to spice up the upper concourse, make it a little bit livelier." The Sky Court will also have an area designated as the Memorial Rotunda, an area of the Sky Court designated for health-related components. The Memorial Rotunda will include stations where fans can measure their height, wingspan, vertical jump and reaction time. There will also be locker stations where fans can judge their own weight against those of current Rockets players. “Memorial Hermann will have their doctors present facts to tie in Memorial Hermann and health-related subjects to basketball," Derman said. "Kids will be able to interactively measure their own physical attributes against those of Rockets players. For example, we want to show fans Yao Ming’s height when he was five years old and as he is now, so a five-year-old could actually walk through an image of Yao and see how much taller he is at that age.” The Sky Court will include other activities for young Rockets fans, such as a section where kids can design posters to bring out to the court and a face painter to get fans ready to cheer on their hometown heroes. Another section called "Center Court" will offer interactive basketball games where fans can show off their dunking skills. In "Clutch's Den," fans can see highlights and other visuals of their favorite team mascot. The Den will display some of Clutch's props that he has been known to use in seasons past. One of the more appealing attractions for kids and fans alike, the Rockets take advantage of any and every opportunity to allow fans to get to know Clutch's history and happenings. In addition, the Sky Court will feature concession and retail stands, as well as a party room that may be reserved for kids' birthday parties. “We went around town and did some investigating," Derman said when explaining what process was taken to mold and design the Sky Court. "We visited a health and body museum, the children’s zoo and Dave & Buster's, [looking at] all kinds of kids interactive areas.” However, the Sky Court is not only geared toward the younger generation. There will be a Rockets history "locker room," where facts and figures of past Rockets legends will be displayed in lockers. “About four or five past players will be featured in lockers," Derman said. "It’s going to basically be like a glorified media guide [in terms of information offered].” The Sky Court will be a place to hang out, eat, play games, learn Rockets facts and party with Clutch, all while having the opportunity to learn more about health. "Almost all of our interactive games are on the Upper Concourse," Schnieders said. " Not having a designated, built-out area has just made it hard to promote to people sitting downstairs." For a full view of the floor plan for the Memorial Hermann Sky Court, click here http://www.nba.com/media/rockets/Overall_Floorplan.pdf
Honestly - this just sucks. It’s great if it had been built OUTSIDE the arena but does the rockets organization really need another reason for ticket buyers to NOT be in their seats during the game? This has been a major issue with this arena that the players even pointed out so why would they continue to perpetuate it? Rockets gotta make a dollar i guess if houston is going to get 2 Max players and several high dollar ones. Just seems the "smart" business players in this deal could find a better way than to suck the life out of the games in the process.
Memorial Herman just sucking blood out of their patient. They bill me $3800.00 for using their facility to perform colonscopy which is not included doctor's fee. The whole procedure was less than 30 minutes. From the way they charge their patients, they can build whatever they want!
If it is for the kids, I'm all for it. Anything that will enhance the experience for parents who want to pay for the less expensive seats upstairs but also want their kids to have fun things to do is ok with me.
I'd rather they try to make the lower bowl "livelier". Get those fans off of their asses and make some noise.
There will be a Rockets history "locker room," where facts and figures of past Rockets legends will be displayed in lockers. “About four or five past players will be featured in lockers, fans will be able to take a steam or hit the showers with some of their favorite all-time Rockets." ________
That too was the first thing that popped into my mind when I read "Sky Court". What/where is the CN tower?
First post alert....... They should close it at the beginning of the first quarter and open it back up at half time then close it when the 3rd quarter starts and then maybe open it up when the game is over......lol Our fans have a hard enough time being in their seats. A large margin of the Houston fans don't have the sports passion its more of a social gathering and a place to be seen by many...kinda takes away the home court advantage if the crowd is not in their seats getting crazy....people look at you like your uncivilized if you are up screaming and getting into the game (not cursing or anything). Seems it take the fun out of the event IMHO.
I like it. This reminds me of Mobley and Mo and Cato and Steve in the old commercials with Yao going to Kroger and bowling or whatever.
blzh blah...I always love to se the hometown fans getting slammed by our out of town fans... /insert pic of dead horse getting beat FYI....having the fans go nuts is not a problem in the upper deck....which it just so happens is where this new feature is located... I do admit that some of our corporate lower deckers are kinda lame...what with their reluctance to act like Sac fans and all...but if you are gonna b**** about them for what seems like the bazillionth time....at least get your facts straight.
I think this will really enhance the TC experience. I have been somewhat disappointed with the TC since it opened. But I think this is a good move to get families more involved with the game.
i know how u feel but my problem is with The Methodist Hospital. i hate those people.....every doctor in there. they discharged my mom and refused to help her when she came back from china for a kidney transplant. just because we didn't want to do it they way "they wanted it." they said we needed to have the kidney "registered" but they discharged her before we could get it registered. what kind of bull was that? how can they just refuse to help somebody? isn't it a hospital? i don't know much about the medical field but my theory on why they discharged my mom was the fact she didn't get the transplant done over here. they're mad they don't get the money for the surgery so they kick her out. their reason for discharging her? "we don't want your hospital bill to get expensive." when it is life on the line, money does not matter. they even told my mom it was going to be A LOT of money for the medicine and care. my mom tells them she is willing to pay for everything needed but the doctor still refuses to help and goes on to say, "You don't have that kind of money." i swear i wanted to punch her damn lights out when she said that. last thing they told us? "you should check out Benthob(sp?) Hospital, they deal with more minority cases there." now if that isn't wrong, then i don't know what wrong is. but i did notice that my mom was the only asian patient there. yeah i know i didn't see every single patient but for those days i was there with her, i only noticed white patients. that and the comment the doctor made had me thinking real hard. sorry for typing all this, but i read stanlam's post and i had to vent. i just couldn't understand why those aholes discharged a patient who recently had a kidney transplant.
