Scale Sports Court and Equipment

Abstract

A scale sport playing court or floor and associated equipment are provided for persons of a smaller stature or height than the collegiate or professional players of the standard-size version of the sport. Teams are selected with players' height restricted to a maximum height (e.g., 72 inches) or less. The game is played according to normal rules except that the court size, goal (or net) and ball size are reduced by a scale factor S related to the height of the smaller stature players to the average height of the professional or collegiate players. In a scale basketball game, the court size, hoop diameter, height of the hoop, distance from the free throw line to the backboard, three point arc, and other dimensions are the product of the scale factor S times the standard dimension. The scaling matches the court and equipment to the athleticism of the players.

Description

CONTINUING APPLICATION DATA[0001]This is a continuation in part of my copending application Ser. No. 11 / 653,727, filed Jan. 16, 2007.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Smaller is not always equivalent to Larger, and sometimes, as in Scale Basketball, changing the scale can make an enormous difference in the play of the game, and in the availability of the game to athletes who happen not to be taller than the overall population.[0003]This invention relates to athletic contests, and more particularly to sports games, such as basketball, in which there is a court of predetermined dimensions, and a goal of a prescribed height and width (or diameter), and where the game is played with a ball of a given circumference. The invention is more particularly concerned with such a game in which the relevant dimensions of the court and the equipment are reduced or scaled down, so that the game can be played by persons of smaller stature, and still exhibit the same type of athleticism that taller pl...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]It is an object of the present invention to make it possible for an adult league (i.e., college or professional) of basketball players, who are selected to have a height restricted to a maximum height (set at e.g., 72 inches), so that the team average height will be approximately that of the general population (70 inches for American adult males), and which will exhibit the natural athleticism of these players.

[0015]It is a closely related object to transform the game of basketball both by restricting the height of players and by scaling the dimensions of the court and equipment: lowering the basket height by about 13%, reducing the rim diameter by 13%, reducing the free throw distance by 13%, reducing the basketball circumference by 13%.

[0021]An important object is to provide for a professional basketball league which plays the same game under the same rules as the existing professional league (e.g., NBA) but plays on a court and with equipment that is scaled down in relation to the comparative average height of the current league (NBA) players relative to the average American male, or the average of Latino male or Asian male. All of this has the effect of accentuating the skillfulness and athleticism of the shorter (i.e., “normal height”) players.

[0025]Yet another object is to make it possible for the smaller-stature athlete to emulate in every respect the movements and the grace and skill of the most successful professional athletes.

Problems solved by technology

This leaves many talented, but shorter players at a disadvantage.

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