Plug and Play

Preview image of “Plug and Play”
  • The screen is integrated in the backboard
  • Hoop

A smart basketball hoop to conquer the yards.

Having a basketball hoop over an American suburban home’s garage door is no less commonplace than the exercise bikes stored in European basements. Now, start-up Huupe wants to incorporate the hoop into a digital home fitness set-up for the 21st century by means of modern display technology and content playback.

Huupe is a regulation-size basketball hoop with a backboard that is robust and weatherproof, meaning it can be installed anywhere – both inside and outside. The hardware comes with 20-watt stereo speakers, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Huupe boasts a network of installation partners throughout the continental US. Huupe can currently be pre-ordered with a deposit, the producer promising to make initial deliveries this year.

The company will use the display to offer “thousands of professional training sessions” on demand that have been produced by professionals and coaches covering the most diverse user requirements concerning their training programmes. The Huupe backboard also analyses user data such as shooting percentage, swishes and ball trajectory. The start-up’s website already features US college basketball players as coaches, such as Mariana Bautista, Drew Jacobs, Dennis Clifford and Miles Sigh. Huupe members will be able to book personal training sessions and one-on-one sessions with experts. The Huupe backboard can also be used to stream videos or play music during downtime.

The current price for this technology is just under $4,000; however, the company has not yet confirmed how long members initially gain access to content for. There are also no details on the future cost of membership at the moment. It is possible that the founders and investors are closely monitoring the progress of Peloton Interactive. This is a company offering a similar business model with a digitally networked exercise bike that includes membership to their training club, although the company has had to overcome significant losses over the last year.