What’s the Deal with “Build Submarines” on the Connecticut Sun Court?

If you’ve watched a Connecticut Sun home game, you may have noticed something a bit unexpected on the court. Right there, printed near the free throw circle in big bold letters:

BuildSubmarines.com.

Wait… what? And no, it’s not a Build-a-Bear store but with boats. It’s not an ad for a new sub sandwich shop. Just a website… about building submarines.

So what’s going on here?
It turns out, it’s exactly what it says it is.

Apparently, BuildSubmarines.com is part of a broader campaign from something called the BlueForge Alliance. They’re a nonprofit that supports the U.S. Navy’s submarine workforce, specifically by promoting skilled trades and manufacturing careers tied to submarine production.

So I guess it isn’t a recruitment ad for the military. It’s more like a workforce initiative focused on training welders, engineers, and builders in places like Connecticut, where submarine construction is a major part of the local economy.

Still seems like an odd partnership, but…

BuildSubmarines.com partnered with the Connecticut Sun as an official sponsor. From what I could dig up, the partnership includes community events like STEM Nights, career path awareness for students, and a court revitalization project in Groton, CT (home to a submarine manufacturer).

No clue if this is brilliant or just bizarre, but it does draw your attention… and maybe that’s the point?