Who says nothing is free in this world?
At Nike’s The Courtyard in BGC, Taguig, everyone can play basketball for free. Just download the Nike app and register as a member of the Nike community.
“No hidden charges,” says Jino Ferrer, Nike’s country marketing manager in the Philippines. “To get a booking at The Courtyard, you just need to be a member of Nike by registering for free at Nike app.”
Weekdays at the Nike Courtyard especially suit the lone wolf looking to play ball.
“There are specific timeslots to choose from. Once you book that time slot, you get confirmation. When you go to check in at the Courtyard, that’s the only time you get to know the ballers who registered on those time slots,” explained Ferrer.
The essence of this system of random registration, according to Ferrer, is to help grow a closely-knit community of ballers and promote friendship. “The reason we’re doing that way is that bringing in individuals from separate industries, circles, and spaces will help grow the community.”
Of course, there’s still an option for players to register and play together as a team during weekends. “We call it the “squad day”, and again, Ferrer stressed, it’s all for free.
WOMEN POWER
Women are becoming a force to reckon with. Taking this into consideration, the Nike Courtyard also allotted exclusive slots for women players, who can play every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 10 pm.
“We are basically giving dedicated time to women ballers in this court. That’s just one step for us to basically continue to let the female ballers know that we’re supporting them, giving them space and a platform to help grow their community,” Ferrer added.
May Belen, one of the lady basketball personalities who graced the recent opening day of the Nike Courtyard, said “Making friendships and playing with more women players open more opportunities.”
Former UAAP player Marga Jimenez said that playing at the Courtyard will enable women to “pass the passion to one another. She shall belong here.”
During the launch, women players were designated team captains if the media teams that played in fun 3×3 games and Kat Tan, the “One-armed Mamba”, emerged as the first Three-Point Queen at the Nike Courtyard.
NO ORDINARY COURTS
So, what makes it special to play The Courtyard?
Every player contributes to the essence of environmental sustainability and helps protect the planet through upcycling.
The 2,182 square meter Courtyard at 25th Street and 7th Avenue in BGC has FIBA-standard full courts and one is a half-court with a free-throw line for practice-shooting.
The court’s surfaces are made with NIKE GRIND rubber from the outsoles of about 30,000 pairs of recycled shoes.
The bounce may be a bit different from the usual hard surface, but one gets the rhythm as the play wears on, especially for 3×3 play where it’s more about shooting the ball from afar or driving to the basket with just about less dribble and a couple of steps.
The Courtyard also has a locker facility, male and female restrooms, and shower rooms. The rooftop of the locker room can double up as an observation deck for friends to watch the action while offering 70 square meters of space for events and workshops.
Playing at The Courtyard is, definitely, more than just about basketball.