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VICTURY Sports founder Joe Burke received a $250,000 investment offer from Lori Greiner for an 8.5% stake in Ollyball on the Sept. 30 season premiere of ABC’s Shark Tank. The indoor play ball has sold more than 2 million units, according to The Toy Book, and is carried by several major retailers. The source does not say whether the on-air offer has closed.
Lori Greiner offered $250,000 for an 8.5% stake in Ollyball during the Sept. 30 season premiere of ABC’s Shark Tank, according to The Toy Book. The offer went to Joe Burke, founder of VICTURY Sports, whose indoor play ball has sold more than 2 million units, making the appearance a potential investment milestone for the established toy brand.
Burke appeared in the Tank with his 11-year-old son, Jameson, and presented Ollyball, a ball designed for indoor play. The Toy Book reported that Greiner agreed to make the offer in exchange for an 8.5% ownership stake. The report does not provide additional terms or say whether the agreement was finalized after filming.
Ollyball weighs less than an ounce and uses a patented two-piece design, according to the report. Burke developed it after his daughter, Judith, broke something while playing volleyball inside the family home. He said it took more than 100 prototypes to reach the product now being sold.
The product is available at Target stores nationwide, as well as through Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart.com, Amazon, CAMP and TikTok Shop. The company also sells through retailers in eight countries. VICTURY Sports is preparing collaborations involving Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB, the international volleyball governing body, though the source does not give launch dates or project details.
A Retail Brand Seeks Its Next Growth
The offer puts a product with substantial reported sales in front of a national television audience and could bring VICTURY Sports both capital and Greiner’s participation as an investor. The reported more than 2 million units sold and broad retail presence distinguish Ollyball from a brand still testing whether customers want the product. Any investment could instead support its next stage of growth, though the company’s plans for the money were not specified.
The proposed 8.5% stake also gives viewers a concrete measure of the terms offered on air. That figure is not confirmation of a completed transaction: televised investment offers can be subject to further discussions, and the report gives no post-show closing update. Readers should treat the development as an offer unless VICTURY Sports or Greiner confirms a finalized deal.
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From a Kitchen Problem to Retail Shelves
Burke said the idea began after Judith broke an item while playing volleyball indoors. The family’s experience with the familiar rule against indoor ball games led him to work on a ball intended for full-force indoor play. According to The Toy Book, Burke initially put more than $100,000 of his own savings into the company.
His wife, Ellen Burke, first handled customer service from the family kitchen and now serves as VICTURY Sports’ chief operating officer. Ollyball received a Toy of the Year award from The Toy Association in 2019. The Toy Book also reported that the product was a finalist for Product Launch of the Year in its second annual Pulse of Play Awards a few months before the Shark Tank appearance.
““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
The Offer’s Final Status Is Unknown
The Toy Book reports Greiner’s $250,000 offer for 8.5%, but does not say whether the deal closed, whether its terms changed, or whether either party later withdrew. The source also does not include a statement from Greiner or a separate company confirmation of the transaction.
Details of the planned Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB collaborations remain limited. No release dates, products or commercial terms are provided, so their timing and scope are not yet clear. The reported sales total is presented as a cumulative figure, without a period-by-period breakdown.
Deal Confirmation and Collaborations
The next clear development would be confirmation from Burke, VICTURY Sports or Greiner on whether the televised offer became a completed investment and whether the reported terms remained the same. Until then, the on-air offer is the confirmed milestone reported by The Toy Book, not proof of a closed transaction.
Further company announcements may clarify the schedule and form of the proposed collaborations with Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB. The source does not identify a launch date or say what products or programs those partnerships will involve.
Key Questions
What deal did Ollyball receive on Shark Tank?
Lori Greiner offered $250,000 in exchange for an 8.5% stake in VICTURY Sports, the company behind Ollyball, according to The Toy Book.
Did the Shark Tank deal close?
The source reports the televised offer but does not confirm whether it closed after the show or whether the terms changed.
What is Ollyball?
Ollyball is a lightweight indoor play ball with a patented two-piece design. The Toy Book says it weighs less than an ounce and was developed for full-force indoor play.
Where is Ollyball sold?
The report lists Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart.com, Amazon, CAMP and TikTok Shop, as well as retailers in eight countries.
What partnerships are planned for Ollyball?
VICTURY Sports is preparing collaborations involving Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB. The source does not provide details or timing for those projects.
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