LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Midwest March Madness regional championship kicks off this weekend, for the first time at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The city is celebrating the first look at the court, made close to home at Connor Sports in Amasa, Michigan. Zach Riberdy is the marketing director for Connor Sports, He explained that they’ve been the official court supplier for the NCAA Final Four since 2006.
“No two years are ever the same. Every year, seeing the end products, especially when it’s down in an arena, and even now it kind of gives you the goosebumps, but once we see all the players come out, with all the bands playing and all the fans in the stands, that’s when things are really special.” Riberdy said. “We can’t do any of this without our team up north in Michigan. The people at the mill do an incredible job. What they do, they’re really the unsung heroes of this. So, end products you guys get to see, the players get to play on, all the action happens. But for me, I got to give it up to them, they’re doing an incredible job.”
Little Caesars Arena is set to host regionals this weekend, with Purdue vs Gonzaga and Tennessee vs Creighton playing on Friday, the winners facing off Sunday for a spot in the Final Four.
Daniella Bruce, the official broadcast reporter for the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings said this is the first time that they’re going to see teams punch their ticket to the Final Four and cut down the nets in the arena.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer commended the company for drawing attention to the talent in the U.P. by playing a vital role in the excitement for the Division 1 men’s and women’s basketball championships.
“We are doing cutting-edge manufacturing in the smallest of towns and the most northern part of the state of Michigan.” Governor Whiter said. “It is exciting to see this expertise out of this small town and to showcase what Connor Sports is doing.”
Connor Sports began creating their floors in early winter 2023, each court is made up of hundreds of panels and weighs over 40 thousand pounds. The Final Four courts will travel hundreds of miles.
As workers prepare Little Caesars Arena for the games, officials say it feels extra special to celebrate a Michigan-made court with the busy weekend ahead.
