We’re a week into football season and the notion of home-field advantage is already apparent—10 of the 16 season-opening wins came from home teams. So what’s that mean? It means visiting teams, be it football, basketball, hockey or baseball, need to step their game up! Crossing continents, playing in different timezones, and flying in cramped quarters might have a hand in the visiting team's performance, so it's no surprise that now there's a state-of-the-art traveling training facility in the sky.
Teague, the company responsible for the interior design of every commercial Boeing ever produced, has teamed up with Nike to create the ultimate jet for MVPs. While still just a concept, the Athlete’s Plane takes away the extra seating necessary for most planes and uses the extra room to provide zones dedicated to recovery, nutrition, socializing and lounging.
Teague took away the overhead luggage compartments to offer more headroom and created seats, each marked with players’ numbers, that can be fully-reclined so the nearly-seven-foot ballers can sleep soundly (if they so choose) while flying across the country.
Specially-designed ice and compression leg-sleeves plug into the plane’s HVAC system and further help athletes relax and recover by improving circulation. Those not looking to nap can watch game footage, catch up on other sports highlights, and even monitor their own hydration and nutritional needs. High-tech urinals and Nike’s wearable technology (found in game-day clothing and shoes) collect data on each athlete’s health, which they or their trainers can monitor via seat-back screens.
A self-serve nutrition zone caters to athletes looking for a protein shake or snack. Tight muscles or a bad loss can be relaxed-away in the recovery zone, complete with massage tables, foam rollers and room to stretch. Below all this, a lounge area with comfortable seats and dining tables provides a place for the team to celebrate a victory, catch up on emails or continue on with locker room gossip.
The Athlete’s Plane was designed with a basketball team in mind, but can easily be translated to fit any sports team. We’re sure its stylish, club-like décor and sweet amenities would attract any number of young billionaires as well. Personally, we would like to see the Chargers use it for their away games, even if all its nutritional analytics and oversized creature comforts won’t prevent missing a snap (Rivers!).
