Patent ID: 7001290

Claim:
A basketball backboard system comprising: a unitary, one-piece, blow-molded plastic backboard frame including a front face and a rear face that are spaced apart, a hollow interior portion disposed between the front face and the rear face, the hollow interior portion being formed during the blow-molding process, the blow-molded plastic backboard frame comprising: an outer periphery including an inner portion and an outer portion that are separated by a distance, the outer portion forming at least a portion of an outer boundary of the frame; a central opening disposed within the outer periphery, the central opening extending completely through the frame and being sized and configured to allow light to pass through, the inner portion of the outer periphery defining at least a portion of the central opening, the central opening including a length and a width that is substantially greater than the distance separating the inner portion and the outer portion of the outer periphery so that the central opening is substantially larger than the outer periphery; and a support portion integrally connected to and disposed within the outer periphery, the support portion including a front portion that is generally aligned with and contiguous with at least a front portion of the outer periphery, the support portion dividing the central opening into at least two openings disposed between the support portion and the outer periphery; and a first attachment area disposed on the front face of the blow-molded plastic backboard frame; and a rebound member including a second attachment area, the first attachment area and the second attachment area being sized and configured to allow the rebound member to be attached to the blow-molded plastic backboard frame and cover at least a substantial portion of the at least two openings created by the support portion.