‘Too bright to play basketball’ – coaches reflect after first Kai Tak Arena test event
The 10,000-seat indoor arena was the second facility of the HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park to be tested
Ying Wah College basketball head coach Arnold Chu said the Kai Tak Arena was “too bright” and the “floor was not evenly lit up” after the first test event on Saturday.
The 10,000-seat indoor arena was the second facility of the HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park tested, after the Youth Sports Ground, which could host 5,000 spectators, was given a first try out in late October with a local second division match between Wong Tai Sin and Sai Kung.
Speaking before guiding his side to a 69-51 friendly match win over arch-rivals St. Joseph’s College in the first match of the day, Chu highlighted his concerns, but lauded the “very large” arena and the instalments of individual lockers inside the changing rooms.
The design of the changing room is somewhat strange though,” he said. “It’s not rectangular in shape, but [partitioned] more like a letter W, or a M.”
The former local A1 division basketball coach added that the lighting of the arena could be a problem for the players.
“It’s just too bright to play basketball … it’s the same if a player looked up to take a shot, or if the fans tried to follow through the ball after a player made a shot,” Chu said.
