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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, according to The Toy Book. The company says the indoor-play ball has sold more than 2 million units; whether the televised offer has since closed was not reported.
VICTURY Sports founder Joe Burke received a $250,000 investment offer from Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner in exchange for an 8.5% stake in Ollyball, the company’s indoor-play ball, during the show’s Sept. 30 season premiere. The appearance puts a growing consumer toy brand before a national audience, but the report does not say whether the offer has since been finalized.
Burke appeared in the Tank with his 11-year-old son, Jameson, to pitch Ollyball. The Toy Book reported that Greiner agreed to the proposed investment terms on the program. A televised agreement is not, by itself, confirmation that money has changed hands: the report does not give details about any subsequent review, negotiations or closing.
VICTURY Sports says Ollyball has sold more than 2 million units and is stocked in Target stores nationwide. The product is also listed as available through Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart.com, Amazon, CAMP and TikTok Shop, as well as retailers in eight countries. The report does not specify when those sales figures were measured or provide revenue, profit or sales breakdowns.
The ball is described as a patented, two-piece design weighing less than an ounce, intended for full-force play indoors. The company’s next growth plans include collaborations involving Crayola, Balloon Time and the International Volleyball Federation, known as FIVB. The report identifies those as upcoming collaborations but does not provide launch dates, product details or commercial terms.
What Greiner’s Offer Could Mean
The offer would give VICTURY Sports a high-profile investor and a platform to introduce Ollyball to viewers beyond its existing retail and online channels. If completed on the terms reported, Greiner would receive an 8.5% ownership stake in return for $250,000. The source does not state how the company would use the investment, so its effect on production, marketing or distribution is not yet known.
For readers considering the product, the reported 2 million-plus units sold and placement at major retailers offer a snapshot of its reach, not independent evidence about customer satisfaction or current inventory. The Shark Tank appearance is a business development; it does not itself establish that a deal has closed or that the planned partnerships are already available to shoppers.
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From Indoor Mishap to Retail Shelves
Burke has said the idea began after his daughter, Judith, broke something while playing volleyball indoors and was told not to play in the house. The Toy Book reports that he developed Ollyball at the family’s kitchen table and went through more than 100 prototypes before arriving at the current design.
Burke initially put more than $100,000 of his own savings into the company, according to the report. His wife, Ellen Burke, first handled customer service from the family kitchen and now serves as VICTURY Sports’ chief operating officer. Ollyball won a Toy of the Year award from The Toy Association in 2019, and earlier this year it was named a finalist for Product Launch of the Year in The Toy Book’s Pulse of Play Awards.
“Lori Greiner agreed to invest $250,000 in Ollyball in exchange for an 8.5% stake in the company.”
— The Toy Book, reporting on the Shark Tank appearance
Deal Status and Terms Still Unknown
The report does not say whether Greiner’s offer was finalized after filming or whether due diligence led to changes in the terms. It also does not report a closing date, investment paperwork or a statement from Greiner about the company. The $250,000 for 8.5% figure should therefore be understood as the terms of the offer reported from the episode, not independently confirmed completed financing.
Other details remain absent: VICTURY Sports’ current revenue and profitability, the period covered by the more-than-2-million-unit sales figure, and the timing and scope of the proposed Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB collaborations. The source also does not say whether the partnerships are signed agreements or plans still in development.
Watch for Closing and Product Plans
The next business milestone to watch is whether VICTURY Sports or Greiner confirms that the Shark Tank offer has closed and whether the reported ownership and investment terms remain unchanged. A company announcement or follow-up reporting could clarify how the funding would be used.
Shoppers and retailers will also be looking for details about the planned Crayola, Balloon Time and FIVB collaborations, including products, release dates and distribution. None of those details were included in The Toy Book’s report, leaving their status and timing open.
Key Questions
What deal did Ollyball receive on Shark Tank?
The Toy Book reported that Lori Greiner offered $250,000 for an 8.5% stake in Ollyball during the Sept. 30 season premiere. The report does not confirm that the deal later closed.
Who pitched Ollyball on the show?
VICTURY Sports founder Joe Burke pitched the product with his 11-year-old son, Jameson, according to The Toy Book.
What is Ollyball?
Ollyball is a patented, two-piece indoor-play ball that VICTURY Sports describes as weighing less than an ounce and designed for full-force play indoors.
How many Ollyball units have been sold?
The Toy Book reported that the brand had passed 2 million units sold. It did not specify the measurement period or provide a sales breakdown.
Where is Ollyball available?
The report lists Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart.com, Amazon, CAMP and TikTok Shop, along with retailers in eight countries. Availability may vary by retailer and location.
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