Maybe a bad 'business idea', in that it probably won't make a ton of money, but as a solution, expanded into other casual sports, it might make sense.
Pick Up BB has a lot of participants, who are not at the court at the same time.
An app where you tap a button and say 'Who's Up For Hoops' and it connects you with others, is a great idea.
You could work with cities to schedule the courts.
If there is a legit need, there's opportunity.
The challenge with such things is generating enough penetration that it becomes 'a thing' - so many great ideas I see would work really well if they did create a critical mass, and, of course, it'd be hard to make money.
I can see, in the future, these things working out.
A partnership with a famous baller, and perhaps with a sports drink or Nike or something, where they integrate it with Nike's 3 on 3 competition, you register for points, show your best moves etc.. It could theoretically work.
I wish we had better mechanisms for escalating these more niche apps into common public consciousness.
- Actually, I'm here for the beer
- Sometimes when I shoot, I score
- I have some moves
- I used to be good
- I am good
- Serious
and offer to either match people by level or build two teams that are evenly matched. After the game, ask people if they thought it was fun and if they thought the self-ratings were fair.
Later you get to add teams, quasi-teams, and leagues, if there's enough interest. But always start by asking if they want to do a pick-up game.