View From the Top: How NBA Championship Banners Are Made

Below is a comprehensive, well‑structured knowledge base article—designed as a helpful guide for customer service agents—based on Ticketmaster’s “View From the Top: How NBA Championship Banners Are Made” blog post. Citations are included for all key points. --- Title How NBA Championship Banners Are Made — Customer Service Guide Introduction Provide customer service agents with a clear understanding of how NBA championship banners are created, what makes them meaningful, and how to address common customer questions about them, based on the Ticketmaster blog article “View From the Top: How NBA Championship Banners Are Made.” This guide equips agents to respond confidently to fan inquiries about materials, construction process, design choices, and special traditions. Main Content Sections 1. Background & Significance • The Boston Celtics initiated the production of the first NBA championship banners by commissioning local Woburn, Massachusetts-based New England Flag & Banner, after encouragement from Zang Aueberbach, Red Auerbach’s brother who designed the team’s Lucky the Leprechaun logo ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • The company had previously crafted prestigious displays like the Boston Red Sox’s 1903 pennant and the Boston Bruins’ 1939 Stanley Cup banner ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • Today, Ned Flynn—the company’s owner—describes the banners as belonging to fans, a powerful symbol of shared pride ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). 2. Materials & Size Evolution • The original banners were made of cotton and measured approximately 8 by 12 feet ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • In the 1980s, the material shifted to nylon for improved durability, and the size was enlarged to the modern standard of roughly 10 by 15 feet ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • When the Celtics and Bruins moved to TD Garden in 1995, all prior banners were replaced to suit the larger venue scale ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). 3. Construction Process — Appliqué Technique • Championship banners today are crafted using the appliqué method, not standard printing: dyed DuPont Solarmax 200 Denier nylon layers are hand‑sewn to form design elements like letters/logos ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • For a double‑sided banner, two identical appliqué panels are sewn together. The total materials include about a 125‑yard roll of nylon and include a personal touch, such as a lucky penny placed inside Celtics banners, minted the year the title was won (e.g., “Banner 18” in 2024) ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). 4. Labor, Team Structure & Time Estimates • Flynn assigns a five‑person team to make each banner: two sewists, two layout designers, and a specialist for hand‑cutting letters/details ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • Labor time varies by banner type: single‑sided banners typically take about 10 hours of non‑consecutive work; double‑sided banners require 20 to 22 hours depending on design complexity, with text‑heavy designs taking longer ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). 5. Design Choices & Customization • There are no standard league design rules; teams and venues have full control over the banner’s appearance ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • Common elements include team name and championship year; many teams enhance banners with logos, trophies, or retro-era insignia ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • Some teams—like the Mavericks, Raptors, and WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces—have incorporated player names into the borders of their banners ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • Banner display styles also vary: the Celtics use vertical individual banners, while the Lakers stack horizontal banners in rows of three. First-time champions like the Raptors and Nuggets have even used unique banner shapes such as five‑point designs ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). 6. Collaboration & Customer Control • Teams typically initiate a banner concept via a sketch or idea. New England Flag & Banner collaborates on artwork and offers guidance, but the final design approval rests fully with the team (“the customer is always right”) ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). 7. Beyond Championships — Other Uses for Banners • Beyond championship recognition, banners are used to honor player retirements, playoff milestones, regular‑season accomplishments, and more ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • Unique exceptions include the Miami Heat raising a jersey banner for Michael Jordan—who was never a Heat player—in 2003 ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). • Arenas also display non‑sports banners—for concerts and cultural milestones. For example, Madison Square Garden features banners for artists like Phish, Harry Styles, and Billy Joel. Barclays Center honors JAY‑Z and The Notorious B.I.G., while Wells Fargo Center commemorates sellout runs by Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, and others ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nba-championship-banners-explained/?utm_campaign=nba-championship-banners-explained&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=openai)). Conclusion This guide equips agents with clear, accurate information on the making and significance of NBA championship banners—from material choices to craftsmanship, customization, and cultural meaning. Agents can use these details to confidently respond to fan questions, whether about production methods, banner design, symbolic touches, or the broader tradition of commemorative banners in sports venues. --- Feel free to adjust section headers or emphasis to suit your internal style guidelines.