A new step in the worldwide partnership for urban regeneration projects for street basketball

After the incredible success achieved in 2021 with the Red Bull Half-Court final staged at the playground in Scalo San Lorenzo in Rome, Mapei has once again partnered Red Bull to create renovated, colourful, high-performance basketball courts where players from all over the world competed in the national stages of the 2022 Red Bull Half Court tournament.

On 30^th September-1^st October, over 200 players representing 24 countries made thier way to Cairo for a weekend full of excitement: the world’s best 3vs3 street basketball team was decreed in the shadow of the pyramids. On a surface designed using Mapei colour technology – Official Supplier of the 2022 Red Bull Half Court World Final – and designed by Egyptian artist Ahmed Nofal (aka Nofal O), the Italian men's team and the Japanese women's team triumphed.

 The partnership with Red Bull will enable Mapei to be part of in an important urban regeneration project. The playgrounds redeveloped for the matches of the tournament will, in fact, be donated to communities in the local neighbourhood: a socially-driven project enabling all the fans and other people to enjoy safe, accessible and beautiful spaces. All this will be possible thanks to Mapei products and technical expertise combined with the creativity of talented street artists engaged by Red Bull.

 Following on from the Giardini Graziella Fava in Bologna, Scalo San Lorenzo in Rome and Sgarrupato in Naples, three new courts have been built in Italy: Rome, Ancona and Rimini. The partnership between Mapei and Red Bull for the 2022 edition of the event has gone beyond the borders of Italy. Mapei has, in fact, provided the support of all its technologies and experts from all over the world to help build Red Bull playing courts in Europe and Australia.

 For these projects too, Red Bull has turned to local businesses and artists: Florian Budke gave free reign to his imagination in using Mapei products to create the colourful court in Mannheim, Germany; the artist Serge Lowrider from Fribourg used a completely new style to develop the playground in Lausanne, Switzerland. And right over on the other side of the globe, Prahran Park playground in Melbourne, staged the Australian finals.

 Once again, Mapecoat TNS resin technology has been used to ensure performance standards, excellent slip resistance, exceptional durability as regards the court itself and also the possibility of catering for any colour requirements.