10 Years

Four men playing Spikeball on a sandy beach, shirtless, with clear blue skies and ocean waves in the background. They appear focused on the ball mid-air, with the Spikeball net positioned in the center on the sand

A large group of Spikeball players gathered on the beach for a group photo. The players, dressed in casual sports attire, stand behind a Spikeball net, with banners in the background promoting the event. The beach is bustling with activity, and a photographer in the foreground captures the moment

10 years ago today...

On June 14, 2008, we flipped the switch on Spikeball.com, had a launch party at North Ave Beach in Chicago and were officially in business. With my degree in photojournalism, a lukewarm interest in sports, and a day job that I had to repeatedly sneak away from, I was now running a sporting goods business. What would transpire over the following 10 years is nothing short of incredible.

We’ve had plenty of headline grabbing events: Shark Tank; ESPN; Inc 500 list (2x); Esquire Magazine; Wall St Journal; The Today Show; Good Morning America; Celebrity and Athlete social media posts; Dude Perfect; Casey Neistat; etc. We’re in thousands of schools and retailers and have done nearly $50 million in sales worldwide since we started (Whoa! I just tallied that one up)! We’ve donated thousands of sets, helped plenty of people and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to address issues along the lines of education, environment, and gun violence. Those things are great but the thing that has meant the most is the love, the friendships, and the support that we’ve all received from the players, our customers, and our coworkers. Although there have been some really, really tough times those are far outnumbered by the good.

Four people bundled in cold-weather gear play a game of Spikeball on rocky terrain at a high-altitude, mountainous location. Snow-capped peaks rise in the background, and colorful prayer flags are draped behind the players, suggesting the scene takes place in a mountainous region such as the Himalayas.

A group of 20 people standing together outdoors in front of a tropical backdrop with palm trees and a bright blue sky. Many are wearing Spikeball-themed shirts, smiling, and posing for the photo by a poolside villa

Group of people in formal attire, including a bride in a white wedding gown and three men in suits, playing a game of Spikeball on a green lawn in front of a large, elegant building

THANK YOU to everyone that’s been on this ride with us. Without you there would be no stories of late night games while trash-talking with your family at a graduation party, no stories of “I met my wife while playing Spikeball! (Joel and Becca!), no stories of “I’ve traveled 30,000 miles to tournaments this year!”, no stories of “I proposed to my wife by writing “Will you be my life partner” on a Spikeball ball, no stories of, “Check out this pic of me playing Spikeball on Mt Everest!”, and more.

As you may heard me say in the past, I thought all that would happen, if we were lucky, is that you’d give us $50 and we’d ship you a box. What we’ve received in return has been so much more than that. We feel so fortunate that you’ve invited us to be a small part in some of life’s biggest moments. For that, we thank you.

With gratitude,

SpikeballChris and the rest of the Spikeball team