I'm kinda out of the sparring circuit now after injury, time off to have a baby, being older now, etc........but in the 90's when I was doing all my tournament work, every tourney I went to was on a basketball-type gym floor- both for kata and sparring.
I agree. Mostly you are going to find tournaments on a gym floor of a high school or something. My first martial arts instructor was the only one I know of that used the wrestling mats and taped off the division rings or squares if you will. I once fought on a racquetball court. Ouch, now that tore up your feet. Learned my lesson and it only happened once.
All USA taekwondo tournaments are on mats. Most tournaments are going to the matted surfaces in the WTF. As far as I can see tournaments will exercise this option more and more with declining rental costs and increasing insurance costs.
well at most events that are not big there at high schools on basketball floors that are wood very few times i have seen matts for fighting just because it is hard to move on them but when i go to the real big events most of the time there at hotels so we spar on carpet
keep in mind these are open tournaments not just tkd