Spikeball

Spikeball Shark Tank update: is it still in business?

Spikeball is the company behind the roundnet craze: two-on-two play around a small trampoline-like net. The game itself dates to 1989, but it was revived in 2008 when Spikeball Inc. began making and promoting the equipment, according to Wikipedia. Founder Chris Ruder told Forbes he discovered the old trademark had lapsed and that the original product had never been patented. Ruder pitched in the Season 6 finale, which aired May 15, 2015. He told Forbes that his "dream team" would have been Mark Cuban and guest shark Nick Woodman, but he made a deal with Daymond John for $500,000 for 20% of the company. Chicago Inno reported that John first asked for 25%. Ruder's original ask was not disclosed in the press coverage we checked (Forbes, Chicago Inno, DNAinfo and Spikeball's own page), so we leave it out. That deal never closed. "It never closed," Ruder said in the 2017 Forbes interview, and a second Forbes piece in 2018 described him choosing control over a large investment by walking away from the $500,000. Spikeball's own Shark Tank page also tells the story from the company's side. As reported in those interviews, the two sides disagreed about the direction of the brand. The exposure still helped. Spikeball kept growing as an independent Chicago company, and roundnet has since developed organized competitive play. Is Spikeball still in business? Yes. As of October 14, 2026, spikeball.com is live with a 2026 copyright, selling game sets and accessories. Because the deal never closed, Daymond John does not hold a stake from the show.