The Big 12 Conference last month unveiled a brand-new, aesthetically unique court for this year’s basketball championships that is riddled with logos and brands in a stark contrast from the old-school hardwood look of yesteryear. The court, which was seen for the first time during the women’s tournament last week and is now center stage of this week’s men’s tournament, is part of a first-year brand deal between the league and a sportswear brand.
A close inspection of the court itself reveals the details of the named “XII court” — with dozens upon dozens of XIIs scattered about the playing surface — as an obvious nod to the Big 12. (Made all the more ironic, of course, by the league’s composition of 16 teams.)
The court’s apron also features a 5-strike logo, which, as the league announced, is part of a partnership with UNDEFEATED.
“My son was on social media and sent me a tweet, and it said the Big 12 women are playing on a Louis Vuitton background,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said this week of the court. “And candidly, that’s all I needed to read. That was exactly what we were going for.”
Here’s more from the Big 12 on the partnership:
The Big 12 Conference unveiled its first-ever “XII Court”, an XII-branded court on which the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be played on.
Additionally, the Big 12 Conference has partnered with global sportswear brand and retailer UNDEFEATED on the XII Court design. The court’s apron features the brand’s iconic 5-strike logo.
The court’s design, with its white roman numerals checkered across the court, serves as a playing surface, a nod to upscale luxury fashion and an optical illusion, depending on your perspective.
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However, the court’s introduction thus far has gone over with mixed reviews ranging from observational in nature to … more extreme.
And just in case you can’t get enough of the spectacle, the Big 12 provided close-up photos to media for your enjoyment.
Big 12 men’s tournament first-round action begins Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri, where five full days of games will be played on the surface before an eventual champion is crowned Saturday night.
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