Basketball Manitoba today announced that effective April 1, 2012, all regulation basketball rims will be returned to the original 'peach basket' style of hoop. The change comes due to a world-wide steel shortage, the primary material used in basketball rim construction. "It's a change we were wanting to avoid but the problem has become epidemic and was now affecting the growth of basketball at all levels", explained Basketball Manitoba Executive Director, Adam Wedlake. He added, "This will affect all levels of play immediately from the pros, university and below including the NCAA national championship scheduled for Monday night." To fill the supply of basketball rims during this worldwide steel epidemic, a change in materials used was the only solution. The recommendation from the special task force to return to the original style of basketball hoop was unanimous. "If this style of hoop was good for our sport's founder, Dr. Naismith, then its good enough for us!", exclaimed Basketball Manitoba Technical Director, Dan Becker, adding "We welcome this change and its a great green solution and very retro in style!". It is expected that all basketball facilities in Manitoba change to this new style immediately, ready for the 2012-13 basketball season. The new 'PB3000' basketball hoops will be available from Home Run Sports in the coming week. For more on this new equipment requirement...
Sample of the new Spalding PB3000
Excerpt from the new basketball rulebook:
Art. 3 The rim and mesh shall be constructed of 100% natural wood material with the top opening being 18 inched in diameter. The basket shall be mounted onto a fan or rectangle shaped backboard using 'break away' (pressure release) with encased torsion springs. All basketball facilities shall also provide tweezers to remove any slivers received whilst dunking the basketball.
This change came from consulting firm Yad, Sloof and Lirpa who made the new basket recommendation.