Bison T-REX® Competition Portable Basketball System

Bison T-REX® Competition Portable Basketball System for Multi-Use Gyms

The Bison T-REX® Competition is a portable basketball system built for gymnasium play. It carries a 42" × 72" tempered glass backboard, hides 1,000 lb of ballast in a covered containment cell, and rolls on 8" × 2" casters. One operator raises it for competition and lowers it for storage. Indoor use only.

Listed at $14,006.00 under SKU BA898G-BK, this system serves programs that need tournament-grade play on a floor they have to clear the same night.

Who This System Is Built For

Buy this if your gym does more than basketball.

High schools, rec centers, side courts, and small programs all run into the same wall: the court has to become something else by Friday. Volleyball. An assembly. A banquet. Graduation. A permanent installation makes that impossible, and a ceiling lift means structural work most buildings will not approve.

What is a portable basketball system, and how does it work? It is a freestanding backstop mounted on a ballasted base. You roll it into position, raise it for play, lock it with a deadlock device, then lower it and wheel it out.

The T-REX competition earns its place when you need a full 8' safe play area without deep space behind the end line and without a capital project. If your court never changes use, be honest about it—the Bison 6'–8' Stationary Competition Basketball Package costs $5,786.00 and belongs on your shortlist instead.

Specs That Decide the Purchase

Every number below decides whether this system fits your building. Read the stored length before you measure the door.

• Safe play area at 10': 96" (reduces as rim lowers)
• Glass backboard: 42" × 72"
• Breakaway rim: BA3180S
• Beam size: 4" square
• Ballast weight: 1000#
• Total system weight: 2350 lb
• Padded base: 40" W × 74" L
• Wheels: 2 front, 4 rear (8" × 2")
• Stored dimensions: 76" W × 160" L × 78" H
• Base colors and padding options: 16 color choices
• Note: FIBA Level 2 option available (BA898GFIBA). A forklift or dock is usually required for delivery.

How much ballast weight is required? The T-REX competition carries a 1000 lb hidden ballast cell inside a 2350 lb total system. That mass is what keeps the base planted through hard rim contact instead of skidding on a finished floor.

Color and Padding Choices

Sixteen options let the base match your program, not the catalog: Black, Brown, Burnt Orange, Cardinal, Columbia Blue, Forest Green, Gold, Gray, Kelly Green, Maroon, Navy, Orange, Purple, Royal, Scarlet, and Vegas Gold.

The Clearance Math Buyers Miss

Measure your corridor, not just your doorway. This is where portable purchases go wrong.

Most buyers check the door, sign the PO, and then discover the unit will not make the ninety-degree turn between the court and the storage room. At 160" long in transport position, the T-REX needs a straight run over 13 feet and a turning path wide enough to swing that length around a corner.

What doorway clearance is needed? In transport position it clears standard openings of at least 84" high × 78" wide. The opening is rarely the obstacle. The corner is there.

The Stored-Length Reality

Run this before you order:

• Straight-line storage run of at least 13'4"
• Turning clearance at every corner on the route
• A level indoor surface at the destination
• Floor protection along the path if your hardwood is newly finished

One more figure deserves attention. The 96" safe play area applies at the 10' rim height and reduces as the rim lowers. Programs running youth heights should plan clearance at their lowest setting, not their highest—a detail most spec sheets bury.

Need a second opinion on your floor plan? Request a quote and we will walk the clearances with your facility manager before anything ships.

Moving, Storing, and Setup

One operator can raise and lower this system. That is the whole point.

Ergonomic levers drive an extension-spring counterbalance, so the lift is controlled rather than muscled. The optional ZipCrank height adjuster (BA898GZC) speeds up changes between age groups—worth it if you flip heights nightly.

Removable handles retract the transport wheels once the unit is positioned, and front feet stabilize it for play. Floor-friendly 8" × 2" casters protect finished hardwood during the move.

Do I need a forklift for delivery? Plan on it. The system ships freight at 2,350 lb, and most deliveries require a forklift or dock offload. Your dealer can coordinate alternate off-loading or local rigging if your site has neither.

Store it indoors on a level surface and follow Bison's winterization and padding care guides.

Key Features

✅ 42" × 72" tempered glass backboard
✅ 1000# hidden ballast containment cell
✅ Extension-spring counterbalance lift
✅ Self-lubricating, zero-maintenance bearings
✅ Chrome-plated steel pivot axles
✅ Baseline™ 180° breakaway rim
✅ Deadlock device secures play position
✅ Beam padding at contact height
✅ Narrow uprights keep sightlines clear
✅ Floor-friendly 8" × 2" casters
✅ Single-operator raise and lower
✅ 16 base and padding color choices

Configuration Options

Order the base system, then add only what your program actually needs.

Portable or Stationary?

Portables trade purchase price for floor flexibility. That is the entire trade.

Choose the T-REX Competition when the gym hosts multiple sports or events and the floor has to reset the same day. Choose a permanent mount when the court's use never changes and nobody is moving anything. Both options sit in the full basketball hoops and systems range.

How does the rim perform under dunking? The Baseline™ 180° direct-mount breakaway rim mounts to the beam rather than the backboard, so load transfers into the structure instead of the glass. Rim BA3180S is the specified goal.

Maintenance, Docs, and Freight

Upkeep is visual and quick.

Inspect the bearings, casters, deadlock device, and spring counterbalance on a routine schedule. Service or replace the Baseline™ rim per Bison's guidance. Factory parts and padding kits stay available through your dealer, which matters more than it sounds on a system you plan to keep for fifteen years.

One limitation deserves a direct answer rather than fine print: this model is not warranted for outdoor use. Portable does not mean weatherproof. If your court is outdoors or coastal, the T-REX® Coastal Portable Basketball System is the correct build instead.

Warranty terms and extended service coverage are confirmed at quote by your product specialist since they vary by configuration.