Ollyball is swimming with the Sharks.
Just months after Ollyball Full-Force Indoor Sports was named a finalist for Product Launch of the Year in The Toy Book’s second annual Pulse of Play Awards, VICTURY Sports founder and inventor Joe Burke landed an offer on the Sept. 30 season premiere of ABC’s Shark Tank, appearing alongside his 11-year-old son, Jameson.
“Going into the Tank with Jameson is something the two of us will never forget,” Burke says. “Ollyball started because my daughter was tired of hearing, ‘not in the house.’ I’m grateful for the opportunity Shark Tank gave me to share our story and get feedback from the Sharks, world-class investors who are truly committed to the growth and success of the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
That “not in the house” problem sparked Ollyball at Burke’s kitchen table after his daughter, Judith, broke something while playing volleyball indoors. More than 100 prototypes later, Burke landed on a patented two-piece ball weighing less than an ounce and designed to withstand full-force indoor play.
The product has since surpassed the 2-million-unit mark and is stocked in Target stores nationwide. Ollyball is also available through Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart.com, Amazon, CAMP, TikTok Shop, and retailers in eight countries.
The brand won a Toy of the Year (TOTY) award from The Toy Association in 2019 and has since racked up additional acclaim.
On Shark Tank, Lori Greiner agreed to invest $250,000 in Ollyball in exchange for an 8.5% stake in the company.
VICTURY Sports is also lining up its next round of growth, with upcoming collaborations involving Crayola, Balloon Time, and FIVB, the international governing body for volleyball.
Burke originally backed the company with more than $100,000 of his own savings. His wife, Ellen Burke, began handling customer service from the family kitchen and now serves as VICTURY Sports’ COO.
