Huupe unveils its interactive smart basketball hoop complete with Netflix
As physical sports and entertainment merge with digital and virtual forms companies are experimenting with bringing new experiences to the courts.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2022) 'Huupe unveils its interactive smart basketball hoop complete with Netflix', 311 Institute, 27 April. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/huupe-unveils-its-interactive-smart-basketball-hoop-complete-with-netflix/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
As we continue to see companies use technology to develop new kinds of games, sports, and arenas, startup Huupe has opened pre-orders on a $4,000 smart basketball hoop, complete with shot tracking, interactive training guides, remote player vs player challenges, and an enormous high-def screen for a backboard, so you can watch TV as you shoot around. Because why not!?
On first glance, this thing looks almost as ridiculous as those internet refrigerators that became a punchline of the noughties. But maybe there's method to the madness here; I'll confess to rarely having the attention span to watch TV without having something to fiddle with, and the idea of getting some shots up with Netflix playing on the backboard sounds like a fun way to sneak some exercise into the day.
The Future of Sports 2030, by Keynote Speaker Matthew Griffin
The Huupe will run a bunch of streaming video services, making this eminently possible. But it's certainly not its raison d'etre. Let's back up a bit.
We're looking at a fully weatherproofed backboard with an integrated high-def screen, internet connectivity and a webcam, as well as some proprietary shot tracking tech. And, of course, you put it up more or less wherever you'd put a regular hoop.
See it in action
From there, you use a smartphone as your remote control, and get stuck into the Huupe apps. There's basic shot tracking, which can build you a sweet graphic showing your makes, misses and percentages from different areas on the court. You can analyze how many times you got nothing but net, or benchmark things like your shot trajectory, speed, agility, release time and vertical leap.
Or you can run one of a bunch of different pre-recorded training sessions. Or you can hook up with a live, qualified trainer online, effectively using the backboard as a webcam as they talk you through your workout. Or you can challenge other Huupe users to a game of HORSE (or whatever the kids call it these days), either live or asynchronously, having your score sent to them so they can try to beat it.
All of which is pretty neat, but to my mind the greatest thing about this device is that it's a big ol' screen you can goggle at while you keep your body moving. All the better if you're streaming an NBA game on the backboard. Yes, it's ludicrously expensive, but that's smart fitness gear for you. Check out a short video.
Source: Huupe
What this means for your organisation
Sport gear is becoming a screen.
Huupe puts a weatherproof high-def screen, a webcam and internet connection into a basketball backboard. The hoop is no longer just equipment. It is a connected device that can carry video, coaching and games. Sports and fitness firms should expect more kit to follow this pattern.
Data and coaching sit in the product.
The hoop records makes, misses and percentages from different areas of the court. It also benchmarks shot trajectory, speed, agility, release time and vertical leap. Users can follow recorded sessions or work with a live trainer online. Value moves from the hardware to the data and the service around it.
Streaming competes for the same screen.
The Huupe runs streaming video services, so a workout can sit beside a live NBA game. Sports rights are already shifting from TV channels to streamers. Media firms should ask where else viewers will watch while they move, and who owns that moment.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our products could carry a screen, a camera and live coaching?
- Who owns the performance data our customers create, and how do we use it?
- If viewers watch sport while exercising, where do we show up on that screen?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
As physical sports and entertainment merge with digital and virtual forms companies are experimenting with bringing new experiences to the courts.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Huupe huupe.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 27 April 2022. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2022). Huupe unveils its interactive smart basketball hoop complete with Netflix. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/huupe-unveils-its-interactive-smart-basketball-hoop-complete-with-netflix/
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