Ratings
Courts: The number of full courts at this location
Hoops: The total number of hoops at this location
Location: Urban, Suburban, Rural, and Beach. These indication the area and environment of the court.
Indoor/Outdoor: Whether the courts are Indoor or Outdoor. Often there are both and this will indicate which one games are primarily played at.
Outdoor Lighting: If there is court illumination on Outdoor courts.
Physical Play: A warning there may be some sharp elbows and trash-talking going on, so taking charges isn’t recommended. This can also mean the court is not for the meek or faint of heart.
Dangerous Area: A warning sign; be careful in this neighborhood, especially if you’re from out of town.
League Play: The court hosts leagues or frequent tournaments
Pay to Play: It may cost money to player here, or it’s a gym where you need a membership.
Court Quality: This rating provides an assessment of the quality of the court, with five stars being the best. Indoor and outdoor courts should be ranked only against other indoor or outdoor courts – a five-star outdoor court is probably nowhere near as high quality as a three-star indoor court. The ratings should be based on factors such as surface (well paved? wood floor?), hoops (are backboards metal, fiberglass, wood?), rims (double, bent, breakaway?), size of court (is it regulation? cramped?), general scenery (beach courts are always nice to play at), and other individual factors.
Play Quality: This rating gives an idea of what type of play to expect, with five stars being the highest. Of course, depending on who shows up on any given day, almost any court can be a hacker’s haven or a NBA hangout, but most courts have a reputation for attracting a certain type of player. The levels should be approximately as follows:
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One Star: Hackers and couch potatoes. If you’re new to the sport of basketball, these are good starter courts.
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Two Stars: Recreational adults and low-level high school. For those who are interested in a spirited run but who want to be called “big man” if six feet tall.
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Three Stars: Average high school level of competition and occasional college level.
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Four Stars: Average college and topflight high school players, with the occasional big name.
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Five Stars: Retired and current pros play and the majority of games feature top college-level competition.
Foursquare Mayor: The Mayor of the court according to the popular location-based check-in service, Foursquare. Currently, Foursquare assigns the Mayor position to the user who has checked in most frequently.
