2011 Carrier Classic Video: Watch Aircraft Carrier Transform into B-Ball Court

Who doesn’t like time-lapse video?

It makes everything in life look so simple. This video shows the week process that it took to transform the USS Carl Vinson from a naval ship to a basketball court. The time-lapse makes it look so incredibly easy.

No. 1 ranked North Carolina will be playing Michigan State on a ship in the first ever Carrier Classic.

The game will be played outdoors on Friday at 4:00 P.M. PST in sunny San Diego California. 

Watching the video makes you appreciate how much hard work goes into making this game happen—even if it all happens in the span of one minute. 

The first day appears to be dedicated for preparing the ship to install bleachers and a floor to put a hardwood surface on.

Next up was constructing the bleachers, which takes about two to three days to complete judging by each time it gets dark.

Then it’s onto the floor that looks incredibly easy to put together when you watch it at such an accelerated rate, but still is installed much quicker than the other aspects of the carrier.

The main question I have for this video: what are they doing around the 49-second mark? It’s pitch-black except for a light shining near the left bleachers. What the heck are they able to accomplish?

Regardless of what’s going on in that mysterious corner, this is a really cool idea by the NCAA. Playing the game on Veterans Day, and honoring the armed forces in the process, is the perfect way to officially kick off the new college basketball season.

While watching the game on ESPN, just remember how much hard work went into making this happen. Kudos to everybody involved.