Hoosiers was better than Rocky and The Natural. For basketball it’s what Bull Durham was to baseball. For high school basketball, it’s what Friday Night Lights was for football.
The national past time may once have been baseball. For Indiana it’s basketball. And with the upcoming NBA All Star Game just over a month away, the Indianapolis airport has installed a regulation basketball court in the center of its main lobby as well as other decorations throughout the passenger terminal.
- Passengers can walk on the court and take photos
- However no games are scheduled inside the terminal
Along with the court, fans and travelers can check out custom basketballs painted by local Indianapolis artists.
Airport officials say there will be more to come once the All-Star game gets closer to tipoff. Guests at the airport can listen to live music from local musicians, see custom artwork in the KIND Gallery and shop at pop-up for fans to grab All-Star merchandise before the game.
Full basketball court inside the airport right now to celebrate the all star game. This rips. pic.twitter.com/QoAPdiD0nc
— Ethan Talks Pacers, Etc. (@KriegerSports) January 14, 2024
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 14, 2024
In Hoosiers Gene Hackman’s Norman Dale says “I would hope you would support who we are. Not, who we are not. These six individuals have made a choice to work, a choice to sacrifice, to put themselves on the line 23 nights for the next four months to represent you, this high school.” Basketball has a deep connection to Indiana communities – emphasizing hard work and sacrifice.
Before the state championship, Dale tells his David vs. Goliath team:
Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here. Focus on the fundamentals that we’ve gone over time and time again.
That’s good advice for airports, too. The purpose of an airport is to help people get somewhere quickly. A great airport is easy to get to, get through, and get out of. It holds down costs, to keep airfares affordable and attract as many flights as possible. But when you’ve got funding for a basketball court in the middle of the airport lobby – and you’re Indianapolis – you do that.
(HT: @bags)
Pretty impressive and probably not all that costly vs the effect it generates
I like their old Indy 500 cars on display. Amazing to inspect.
It can’t be an official NBA court since I don’t see BLM painted all over it. Cute idea though. They should leave it after the all-star game.
If the NBA players are going to actually be there then I would as well.
It’s also one of the best-run mid-sized airports in the country. It’s easy to get to, has ample parking, plenty of non-stop flights, has several good food options (including a Shake Shack and a branch of local favorite, Harry & Izzy’s), is remarkably clean and well-maintained, and has some of the most pleasant TSA employees I’ve ever encountered.
If offers nonstop flights to both coasts and all major network carrier hubs.
The only knock I have on it is that TSA installed the slow moving CT-scan machines and that has slowed the PreCheck line considerably. Of course, that is not IND’s fault.
If we don’t fly out of our local airport (SBN), we chose to fly out of IND as opposed to ORD, even though IND is a longer drive. The drive is easier (never any traffic), and the airport is much easier to navigate.
If they don’t loan out balls to take some shots, what the friggin point?