Taking Care of Professional Athletes Sometimes Requires Disappointing Fans

Water Problems Cancel Celtics-Nets game at Halftime

WORCESTER— Some 10,000 angry fans saw only half the Boston Celtics-New Jersey Nets preseason game tonight at the DCU after condensation from the ice rink below the basketball court seeped through the floor and the game was canceled.

Dozens of police officers were ordered to the arena after numerous fans stormed onto the court and voiced their anger with the situation. At least one person was arrested, according to initial reports.

The game began at 7:30 p.m. and was called about 9:15 p.m.

Police said numerous fans rushed onto the court after the game was called. DCU officials turned off the lights in the facility and fans were directed to leave the building.

To appease unhappy fans, an autograph session was held, but players seemed uncomfortable and the session ended quickly.

The much anticipated game featured the Worcester debut of the Celtics’ Big 3, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Fans paid as much as $48 for tickets to the contest.

The game marked the first time the Celtics had played in Worcester in seven years.

I attended tonight's game (or half game) at the DCU Arena in Worcester and agree 100% with the decision to cancel the game. I applaud the Celtics players for agreeing to a impromptu one-half hour autograph session, and absolutely deplore the actions of the irate crowd.

In fact, my wife and I left the DCU Arena precisely because I knew, from experience, that ANY unscheduled event involving professional athletes (or politicians) is bound to result in chaos and anger. Which is precisely what transpired.

I'm appalled at the ire displayed by fans who just did not seem to understand the dangers posed by the unsafe floor.

Folks, promising professional basketball careers have been RUINED by this phenomenon.

Christian Welp is a 7 foot German who was the University of Washington's all-time leading scorer. He was the 16th player taken in the 1987 NBA draft. Selected by the 76ers for his soft shooting touch, the 76ers picked Welp to man the front line alongside Charles Barkley.

Welp made good progress and broke the Sixers starting lineup as a rookie. Playing in a December game in Chicago, Welp tore up his knee, slipping on a wet floor. A Blackhawks hockey game had been held in the arena the night before and the weather was unseasonably warm, lending to risky conditions on a court placed on top of the ice.

"There was condensation on the floor and the ball boys were mopping the floor the whole game," he said, recalling that Michael Jordan scored 56 that night while his Sixers won. "It was so severe, my knee never got back to the level it was before." After reconstructive surgery, Welp spent one more year in the NBA before his injury forced him to retire.

How Does it Work, Anyway?
Believe it or not, the technology that makes placing a basketball court on top of an ice rink is pretty simple: Directly under the basketball court is Arena Deck, which separates the ice from the basketball court. Arena Deck is a lightweight material of fiberglass and plastic.

Arena Deck is put over the ice and holds the cold air down while making sure the basketball court stays dry from any condensation. Depending on the time frame of the back-to-back events in the arena, the basketball court can be assembled over the ice in as little as three hours, using a staff of 35 to 50 workers to accomplish this tremendous task. The 94-foot long and 45-foot wide court is made up of more than 200 pieces.

In older facilities like the DCU, the process doesn't always work as well as designed. Plus, unseasonably warm conditions--along with rain--increased the humidity inside the arena, exacerbating the problem.

Officials made the right decision to cancel this virtually meaningless preseason game. Fans were wrong to protest and even more wrong to besiege the court. Another black eye for Worcester.