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Ollyball founder Joe Burke received an offer from Lori Greiner on the Sept. 30 season premiere of ABC’s Shark Tank: $250,000 for an 8.5% stake in VICTURY Sports. The company’s indoor ball has sold more than 2 million units, according to The Toy Book, and is carried by major retailers. The source report does not say whether the offer has closed.
Ollyball founder Joe Burke received a $250,000 investment offer from Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner in exchange for an 8.5% stake in VICTURY Sports, according to The Toy Book’s report on the show’s Sept. 30 season premiere. Burke appeared in the Tank with his 11-year-old son, Jameson, as the company seeks to build on reported sales of more than 2 million Ollyballs.
The offer was made on ABC’s Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs present businesses to investors known as Sharks. The Toy Book reports Greiner agreed to invest $250,000 for 8.5% equity. The report describes it as an offer; it does not state whether the investment was finalized after filming or spell out any additional conditions.
Ollyball is a lightweight indoor play ball sold by VICTURY Sports, the company Burke founded. The Toy Book says the product weighs less than an ounce, uses a patented two-piece design and is intended for full-force indoor play. The company has sold more than 2 million units, according to the report, and its products are stocked in Target stores nationwide.
The report also lists distribution through Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart.com, Amazon, CAMP and TikTok Shop, as well as retailers in eight countries. Burke’s wife, Ellen, who started by handling customer service from the family kitchen, is now the company’s chief operating officer. VICTURY Sports is preparing collaborations with Crayola, Balloon Time and the international volleyball governing body, FIVB, though the report gives no launch dates or terms.
A Retail Brand Seeks Its Next Growth
The offer puts a nationally distributed toy brand in front of a large television audience while attaching a specific proposed investment to its next growth phase. If completed, a $250,000 investment for 8.5% would bring Greiner into VICTURY Sports as an equity partner. The source does not detail what resources, advice or retail access she would provide.
For shoppers and retailers, the reported 2-million-unit sales milestone and broad availability indicate that Ollyball is already beyond an early prototype stage. The proposed partnerships could extend the brand’s reach or add products, but the available report does not confirm what those collaborations will include or when they might appear.
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From Indoor Play Problem to Product
The product began with a familiar household conflict, according to Burke’s account in The Toy Book: his daughter, Judith, broke something while playing volleyball indoors and was told not to play inside. Burke said he developed Ollyball to address that problem. He worked through more than 100 prototypes before settling on the lightweight design described in the report.
VICTURY Sports initially relied on Burke’s personal savings; The Toy Book reports that he put in more than $100,000. Ollyball later received a Toy of the Year award from The Toy Association in 2019. The brand was also named a finalist for Product Launch of the Year in The Toy Book’s Pulse of Play Awards, shortly before the Shark Tank appearance, according to the publication.
“Going into the Tank with Jameson is something the two of us will never forget.”
— Joe Burke, VICTURY Sports founder, as quoted by The Toy Book
Deal Status and Partnership Details
The available report does not confirm whether Burke accepted Greiner’s offer after the episode was filmed or whether the deal passed any later review or negotiation. The $250,000 and 8.5% figures are the terms reported for the on-air offer, not proof that the investment has closed.
Details also remain limited on the planned Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB collaborations. The report does not describe their products, schedules, commercial terms or whether each agreement has been completed. It also provides no breakdown of Ollyball sales by year, channel or market, so the more-than-2-million figure cannot be used to infer a sales trend or growth rate.
Confirmation and Collaboration Launches
The next clear milestones are confirmation of the Shark Tank deal’s final status and further details from VICTURY Sports or its partners on the announced collaborations. The Toy Book report names Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB but does not provide release dates or explain what each partnership will produce.
Until the company or Greiner confirms the investment has closed, the reported terms should be treated as an offer made on the program. Retail listings and future company announcements may provide more information about Ollyball’s availability and expansion, but no specific launches or changes to distribution are confirmed in the source report.
Key Questions
What deal did Ollyball receive on Shark Tank?
According to The Toy Book, Lori Greiner offered $250,000 for an 8.5% stake in VICTURY Sports, the company behind Ollyball.
Has the Shark Tank deal closed?
The source report describes an on-air offer but does not confirm whether the investment was finalized after filming.
What is Ollyball?
Ollyball is a lightweight ball designed for indoor play. The Toy Book says it weighs less than an ounce and has a patented two-piece design.
Where is Ollyball sold?
The report lists Target stores nationwide, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart.com, Amazon, CAMP and TikTok Shop, along with retailers in eight countries.
What partnerships does VICTURY Sports have planned?
The company is lining up collaborations with Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB, according to The Toy Book. The report does not give launch dates or further details.
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