Goalsetter Basketball Systems, like many other institutional sized basketball systems, are heavy and can be tricky to put up.
This article is in no way, whatsoever, to replace or to be a substitute for proper reading and following of the installation instructions provided to you with your purchase; nor is this article to be used in place of asking specific installation or maintenance questions to either the company that sold you the unit, or Goalsetter Basketball Systems.
Goalsetter Basketball Systems are heavy-duty, high-end systems and carefull installation planning needs to be done before proceeding. In particular, you ought to decide what distances you need for your court, if you need space for a 3-point line, if you want a complete half court, and the backboard overhang of the system you are purchasing. For example, if you were purchasing one of these systems and you wanted a complete half court at the High School level, you would need 42 ft long x 50 ft. wide space to accomadate that setup. If you were purchasing the largest system, the Signature Series MVP, you would also need to accomodate an additional 18", or so, to place the pole into the ground. If you wanted the distances to reflect the collegiate or professional court distances, you would need a 47 ft. x 50 ft. area for a half court.
Another point to consider is who will be around to install the product and what tools are you going to need to install. You do not want to install this system with one person because of system's weight and complexity. Two able bodied people are necessary; and, 3 or more would be ideal. For the most part, the entire system can be built before the unit is hoisted into its final resting position; so, complex tools, like a scaffold, will probably not be necessary. However, depending on the place you plan to install the unit, and the people you have helping, a ladder may be necessary. Other than that, basic tools will be everything else needed; these tools will include, but are not limited to: a hammer, a wrench, a socket wrench, and a screwdriver.
Goalsetter Basketball Hoops' Anchor Kit Comparison with the Mammoth Basketball Hoops' J-Bolt Mechanism.
In a previous conversation with a Goalsetter representative, I wanted to get their take on what made their anchor mechanism different than the Mammoth system. I was told that the majority of it was based on how the unit is installed into the cement and how the basketball system is put into position on the plate. For the Mammoth anchor kit, the unit uses 4 J-bolts that go deep into the cement. The bolts then extend through the mounting, which is flush with the ground, and the basketball system mounts over those bolts. With Goalsetter, the anchor uses a pole that extends into the cement and attaches to a plate, which is flush with the ground. Where the major difference comes into play is when either of these systems needs to be mounted on the mounting plate. For the Mammoth Basketball Hoop, the hoop must literally be hoisted ino the air, aligned with J-bolts on the mounting plate, and then lowered into position. Because of this design, more people are typically required to install the unit, and the procedure usually requires a scaffold to lower the system down properly. With the Goalsetter, on the other hand, they use a hinge mechanism that attaches to the mounting plate. During assembly, the system essentially suspends at a 45 degree angle off of that hinge and the entire unit is then assembled. Once assembly is complete, all that needs to happen is for the system to be pushed up into place, and then bolted down to the mounting plate. This usally requires fewer people and not advanced equipment.
Hopefully this helps you in your purchasing decisions and gives you some heads-up for installation. Have fun playing!
