For a driveway, a backyard slab or a corner of the yard where the kids shoot after school. The price of sports gear across Australia over ten years, and what to look for and ask before you buy a hoop.
The price, ten years on
Equipment for sports, camping and open-air recreation, across Australia, from the ABS Consumer Price Index. The class holds sports, camping and open-air gear, from balls, rackets and golf clubs to fishing rods, boats and caravans.
June 2016$100
June 2026$114
$136Everything a household buys, over the same years
Up over ten years, by less than everything a household buys.
$90$100$110$120$130$140$114$136
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Equipment for sports, camping and open-air recreationAll groups CPI, everything a household buys
Buying a basketball hoop for home. The first half is what to look for yourself. Put the second half to each place you try.
Look for
The space you haveMeasure the driveway or slab, and leave room to run in under the ring.
A base or a post in the groundA portable base is filled with water or sand; an in-ground post stays where it is set.
The backboardIts size and what it is made of change how the ball comes off it.
Height adjustmentA ring that lowers lets younger players join in and grows with them.
The ring and netHow the ring is fixed, and whether the net is made to stay out in the weather.
Ask
01What comes in the box, and what do I need to supply?Sand, concrete, tools, or a ball.
02How long does it take to put together, and how many people?Ask whether the shop can assemble it or deliver it built.
03How is the height changed?A crank, a handle or a pole, and whether a child can manage it.
04Can it be wheeled away when we want the driveway back?Some bases tilt back and roll on wheels; others stay put once filled.
05How does it hold up left outside all year?Sun on the backboard, rain on the post, wind on the net.
06Can I buy a new net or ring later?These wear first, so ask whether the shop keeps them.
From basketballhoop.com.au, a concept page.
Choosing a hoop for your space
Begin with where it will stand. A rented home or a shared driveway suits a portable base you can move; a hoop for years in the same spot may suit a post set in the ground.
Think about who will play. Little ones need a ring that comes down, and keen teenagers will want a backboard that gives a true bounce.
Asking each shop the same questions
Ask every shop the same questions and note the answers beside each hoop. Assembly and what is left out of the box often decide it more than the hoop itself.
Keep the assembly guide and the receipt together, so a worn net or ring is easy to match later.
Shows whether a business's ABN is active or cancelled, its business type and its GST status, and the Register says the public can use it to check a business before buying.