Bring awesome play to your home or institution with a genuine Hercules Gold basketball system. High-performance ½" thick tempered glass backboard and 6" square 7 ga. thick one-piece steel pole delivers incredible durability and performance that continues to exceed demanding expectations and out-perform alternatives.

• 33% More Glass, 9% Better Rebound Response Than Closest Alternative

  Backboard Rebound Response

  

  Almost all gymnasiums use ½ inch thick tempered glass backboards while residential hoops use softer and thinner materials. This experiment is intended to determine how a ½ inch thick tempered glass backboard performs compared to traditional residential backboards.

  

  VIDEO: Rebound Response Experiment

  ​

  • Experiment Parameters

    - The backboards are all 60 x 36 inches and have identical aluminum framing. The ball used is made of an indoor outdoor synthetic material. All balls were dropped from a consistent 55 inches and were measured with a high speed digital camera. Rebound response is defined here as the percentage of distance the ball bounced back from the original drop height.

  • Summary

    - Acrylic was the clear looser with only a 38% rebound response (some manufactures use thinner 3/8 acrylic which was not tested). 1/2 inch glass was the winner beating 3/8 inch glass by approximately 9% with a 69% rebound response.

• Heavy-Duty Backboard Frame

  The Hercules Gold backboard is encased in a ¼" thick die-cast solid aluminum frame. This adds incredible rigidity to the board and protects the edges of the glass. The glass is locked into place with ¼" steel "L" brackets at each corner. A rubber gasket lines the channel that the glass sits in as a buffer from the metal frame.

  This mechanical method of mounting the glass is the same used on competitive NBA and NCAA backboards. Many other residential basketball systems use an adhesive to mount the glass which can weaken over time in the elements and can expose the edges of the glass increasing the chances of breakage.

  Backboard Frame-To-Glass Mounting Process

  

  Backboard Frame Comparison

  

• Available High-Performance Regulation-Sized Tempered Glass Backboard

  Backboard Material Comparison

  

  Tempered glass is approximately 4 times heavier than acrylic. This adds mass to the system and improves the rebound response off of the backboard.

  Secondly, tempered glass is harder than acrylic. This creates a much more rigid surface and eliminates the drumhead effect that deadens rebounds on acrylic boards. Also, much like your car windshield, the hard tempered glass will resist scratching and remain clear. Acrylic will scuff and become cloudy over time.

  Acrylic does have its place. We recommend it in institutional applications where vandalism is likely. This is because acrylic will not shatter.

  In summary, tempered glass is preferred in most situations for its performance and durability over time. If you are concerned about vandalism acrylic might be the better option for you.

• Over-Sized 6" Square, 7 Gauge Thick, One-Piece, Square Steel Pole

  Steel Thickness Comparison

  

  As the price of steel rises many manufactures are beginning to reduce the thickness of their main pole. This reduces the stiffness yielding a less stable, poor performing basketball system. Make sure you're getting a full 7 gauge (3/16") thick main pole.

  The quickest way to determine the quality of a basketball system is to check the pole type. All premium hoops use a square (or rectangular) one-piece pole with 7 gauge or higher thickness.

  Stay away from multi-piece poles. Manufactures split the poles into several pieces for shipping and distribution purposes. Right out of the box, you'll see that these joints are the weak link in the system and will weaken more over time from corrosion.

  Pole Type Comparison

  
  

  Weak corroded joint in a 2-piece pole

• Limited Lifetime Warranty - Covers Dunking and Hanging

  

  We proudly back the genuine Hercules basketball goal with an unsurpassed warranty. The durable design, quality construction and over 24 years of experience ensure you will enjoy a lifetime of play and never worry about maintenance or replacing your system.

  Every part of the heavy-duty Hercules system has been designed to exceed performance expectations under extreme playing conditions. The Hercules goal is completely warranted for dunking and hanging on the rim. Other manufactures did not design their hoops for this kind of aggressive play and will not warrant it.

• Industry Leading Corrosion Protection

  

  This system is currently available with our industry leading Rust Armor™ package. This will not delay your ship date.

  Mr. Basketball and Keith Discuss Corrosion Protection

  • How much is it?

    $129.00

  • Do I Need It?

    	Receive 30 or more inches of rain per year - view map		Receive standing snow and or roads are salted - view map		Live within 100 miles of salt water - view map
    	Live in a humid climate (60% or greater relative humidity) - view map		Install basketball system within range of a sprinkler		Want to reduce the risk of weakening bolts and unsightly rust streaks

  • What's included?

    • Zinc Galvanization

      The main structural components are dipped and coated in a galvanizing solution that will protect the raw steel from corrosive elements. These parts pass through a molten bath of zinc at a temperature of 860 degrees thoroughly coating them with a thick robust layer of zinc.

      This process is commonly known as hot-dip galvanization and prevents corrosion by forming a physical barrier and by acting as a sacrificial anode. The zinc coating reacts with oxygen, water molecules and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to yield an impermeable, tenacious, insoluble layer of zinc carbonate. This level of protection is similar to that of aluminum and stainless steels.

      Wikipedia was referenced for this information including the following pages Galvanization, Sacrificial Anode , and Hot-Dip Galvanizing.

      

      Photos of the main structural components after galvanization and before receiving a powder coat finish

      Galvanization Coating Diagram

      

    • Stainless Steel Fasteners

      Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel Bolt Comparison

      

      All fasteners are upgraded to stainless steel ensuring your system will look great and never weaken or seize up over time. Untreated carbon steel fasteners will be replaced with durable stainless steel to ensure your goal will remain structurally sound and reduce unsightly rust streaks.

      Destructive corrosives such as road and costal salt will not weaken fasteners. They also make moving your system a snap! Never worry about rusty fasteners seizing up while disassembling and reassembling the system.

    • Extended Corrosion Warranty

      
      

      Your system will be warranted against structural damage caused by corrosion for a lifetime!

      We are so confident that the galvanized coating and stainless steel fasteners included in the Rust Armor™ package will eliminate any risk of corrosion that we are backing these products up with an extended lifetime warranty that covers damage caused by corrosion.

      This warranty covers all environments including brutal costal conditions, salt from road clearing and dense humidity.

The Hercules Gold system is precisely manufactured with high quality materials that are designed to go together smoothly and intuitively. Assembly of this system requires the use of special tools such as a Genie Lift which can be rented from your local equipment rental company or scaffolding. This is because the backboard must be mounted at it's desired height.

• Phone support from an experienced installation expert

• "H" bracket is pre-installed saving you 15 minutes of assembly time.

• Precise leveling using self-leveling nuts after the pier has cured.

• Stainless steel fasteners will not seize up if you decide to move to a new house (requires Rust Armor package)

• Installation process summary

  1. Concrete Pier Installation (~1.5 Hours)
  2. Allow Concrete to Cure (1 - 5 Days)
  3. Assemble System on Cured Concrete (~1.5 Hours)
  4. Start Playing!

• View / print installation instructions

• Plan your court

  
  • 4' Overhang (Front of the pole to the front of the backboard)
  • Approximately 24" square pier (depends on your soil conditions)
  • Free-throw line is 15' from the front of the backboard
  • Three-point line is a perfect arc from the center of the rim
    • Middle-School, High-School, Women's College: 19' 9"
    • Men's College: 20' 9"
    • NBA: 23' 9" (wings cut off)
  • View / print court dimension diagrams
  
  

• Popular installation frequently asked questions

  • Is the pier included?

    Yes, everything you need for installation is included but the concrete.

  • How big does the pier need to be?

    24" square and 4' deep belled out at the bottom. If you have a sandy soil you might want to go deeper.

  • Can it be installed into existing concrete?

    Yes. You can jackhammer the area you need or use wedge anchors.

  • How long does it take to install?

    Installation times can vary but you can expect to spend around 1.5 hours installing the pier and 1.5 hours assembling the system with 1 to 5 days for the pier to cure.

The Hercules Gold basketball system is elegantly designed to be a classy, unobtrusive edition to your driveway or backyard court. The proportionate system will blend into the surroundings while offering an unmistakable professional playing experience.

Photos of various Hercules systems with a clean unobtrusive look

• Smooth gloss back finish

  Blends into residential settings and resists unattractive weathering

• Clear backboard

  Allows surroundings through for an unobtrusive feel

• Tempered glass backboard

  The very hard tempered glass will remain clear and not scratch like softer acrylic alternatives. This ensures that the backboard will remain clear and not get a dull dirty look.

• Minimalistic backboard frame (thin bezel)

• Available Rust Armor

  Reduces rust and ensures your system will not become an eye-sore

• Very little signage

  We don't treat your system like a billboard. There is a small sticker on the backboard and extension arm that can be removed if you'd like.

• Rectangular clear backboard

  Delivers a very professional look that adds prestige to your home

• Clean, minimalistic design

  Many believe that this system is elegant and clean. We have taken a minimalistic approach to this system to keep things looking good and simple without sacrificing performance or durability.

Add Rust Armor to ensure your system does not become and eye-sore

A competitor's system after a few years without Rust Armor protection

A competitor's system with multi-piece pole and no Rust Armor protection

How much does it cost? Do I need it? What's included?

Hercules systems create a safe engaging environment at your home or institution. Protective padding and a large overhang distance ensure your players stay safe.

Children playing two on two with the Hercules Diamond basketball system

• Protective safety padding

  The Hercules Gold is designed to protect all players. Young and elite players alike will appreciate the pole & gusset padding included with every Hercules system. The wrap around pole padding protects aggressive players that drive in hard for a lay-ups and play underneath the hoop. The gusset padding protects players from rolling an ankle or falling onto exposed bolts at the base. In contrast, many other basketball goals do not include the protective padding needed to keep players injury free.

• Break-away rim

  For players unleashing their dunking power on the Hercules system, we have included a heavy-duty break-away rim that is designed to absorb the pressure and pop right back into place. This softens the blow to player's hands and joints preventing injury.

• Keeps kids in a safe environment

  The Hercules system gets children excited about being active and keeps them in a safe invironment that you control

• Large safe-play area

  Take the pole out of the playing area while keeping balls and players on the court. Overhang is defined as the distance from the front of the pole to the front of the backboard. Regulation courts have a distance of 4' from the baseline to the front of the backboard. This area is used to box out and allows players running in for lay-ups to stay in play. More importantly it keeps the pole out of the playing area reducing the likelihood of injury to players. Larger overhang distances also keep players from stepping off the playing surface which reduces injuries such as rolled ankles.