Portable sports net

1 . A portable frame for a sports net, comprising:

first and second base members with first and second horizontally-oriented openings in the first and second base members, respectively, operable to receive a cross member connecting the first and second base members, and first and second vertical openings in the first and second base members, respectively, operable to receive first and second vertical posts held at an angle other than 90° relative to a horizontal plane of the cross member;

a cross member comprising first and second outer tenon tongues at ends of the cross member, wherein the first and second outer tenon tongues respectively comprise first and second cross member openings shaped and sized to receive and hold the first and second vertical posts at the angle other than 90°; and

first and second vertical posts operable to fit into the first and second vertical openings of the first and second base members and the first and second cross member openings of the cross member when the outer tenon tongues of the cross member are inserted into the first and second horizontally-oriented openings of the first and second base members,

wherein the first and second vertical openings and the first and second cross member openings are positioned to hold

the first and second vertical posts at the angle other than 90°.

2 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer tenon tongues comprise a solid plastic material, a solid metal material, a hollow plastic material, a hollow metal material, or a combination thereof.

3 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the first and second vertical posts are operable to secure the cross member to the first and second base members when a bottom end of the first and second vertical post are joined to the first and second vertical openings inside of the first and second base members.

4 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the first and second vertical openings are operable to receive the first and second vertical posts held at an angle other than 90 degrees relative to the horizontal plane of the cross member when the first and second vertical posts and the cross member are in the same vertical plane.

5 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the angle other than 90° is a 91° angle.

6 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the first and second vertical posts held at the angle other than 90° are configured to retain a top edge of a sports net in a taut orientation relative to a slack orientation of the top edge of the sports net when an angle of the first and second vertical posts relative to the horizontal plane of the cross member is 90°.

7 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the first and second vertical posts held at the angle other than 90° are configured to retain a top edge of a sports net in a taut orientation using an extension spring effect.

8 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the cross member further comprises segmented cross members including a middle segment having a first end with a first horizontally-oriented tenon tongue and a second end with a second horizontally-oriented tenon tongue.

9 . The portable frame of claim 8 , wherein the segmented cross members further comprise:

a first inner segment having a first inner mortice shaped and sized to join the first end of the middle segment; and

a second inner segment having a second inner mortice shaped and sized to join the second end of the middle segment.

10 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the first and second vertical posts each include straps operable to secure a top edge of a sports net in a taut orientation.

11 . The portable frame of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible support having a fiberglass material with a bottom end fitting a recess in the cross member and a top elongated split end fitting an underside of a sports net top.

12 . The portable frame of claim 1 , wherein the first and second vertical posts are configured to retain a sports net above the cross member.

13 . A portable frame for a sports net, comprising:

first and second base members with first and second horizontally-oriented openings in the first and second base members, respectively, operable to receive a cross member connecting the first and second base member, and first and second vertical openings in the first and second base members, respectively, operable to receive first and second vertical posts;

a cross member including first and second outer tenons tongues at ends of the cross member shaped and sized to fit into the first and second horizontally-oriented openings, wherein the first and second outer tenon tongues respectively include first and second cross member openings; and

first and second vertical posts shaped and sized to fit into the first and second vertically-oriented openings and the first and second cross member openings,

wherein the first and second base members and the cross member are configured in the same vertical plane;

wherein the cross member is of uniform exterior dimensions from the first base member to the second base member.

14 . A portable sports net assembly, comprising:

a frame including first and second base members with first and second horizontally-oriented openings in the first and second base members, respectively, and first and second vertical openings in the first and second base members, respectively, operable to receive first and second vertical posts held at an angle other than 90° relative to a horizontal plane of the cross member;

a cross member comprising first and second outer tenon tongues shaped and sized to fit into the first and second horizontally-oriented openings, wherein the first and second outer tenon tongues respectively comprise first and second cross member openings;

first and second vertical posts shaped and sized to fit into the first and second vertical openings and the first and second cross member openings at an angle other than 90° relative to a horizontal plane of the cross member; and

a net strung between the first and second vertical posts above the cross member, wherein the angle other than 90° retains a top edge of the net in a taut orientation using a spring effect;

wherein the cross member is rectangular in shape.