July 20, 2023, from Chris Ruder, CEO, Spikeball Inc.

Hey roundnet players and Spikeball community,

We are so pumped about the rollout of MAMMOTH and can’t wait to ship out the hundreds of orders we’ve received! We love the notes and support we've been receiving and see there seems to be some concern that we’re going to try to force this to be the official kit in tournaments (spoiler alert: we’re not) while others have concerns with the price ($299). I appreciate the concerns. That means you care, which is something most companies would die for. I’d like to give a little background on why we created it and what we’re hoping to accomplish.  

While we would like for the Spikeball MAMMOTH roundnet kit to become the standard equipment used in tournaments but, we don't see that happening any time soon. Don't worry though, we're not going to try to force anything through. Our Pro sets will continue to be the ones we use at least through the 2024 season. 

Over time, we are hoping that everyone (players, tournament directors, governing bodies, spectators, etc) will choose it to become the new standard. We may host some smaller, Mammoth-only tournaments next year but they won’t count towards STS rankings/points/etc. You will start seeing MAMMOTH sets on the sidelines at the bigger tournaments so more players can experience it. Who knows, if the players aren't into it, it may never become the official set. We hope this isn't the case, but either way, this will be a collaborative effort!

So, why did we create MAMMOTH and what are we hoping to accomplish? Over the years we've noticed that gameplay at its highest level tends to have the shortest rallies. We heard the desire for more defendable rallies, and we got to work. Amongst other drawbacks, these shorter rallies can limit interest from fans and people watching online. The sport needs way more fans to continue to grow.

For the past 10+ years, in collaboration with players and the community, we've been testing variations on equipment and rules in hopes to advance the sport. One big, recent improvement from this testing was the no hit zone. Most people had reservations about it when it was announced but once they tried it, they loved it.  

With all innovations, like MAMMOTH, the creators should expect some resistance. We are confident that once people play with it, they'll see what makes it so special. We invested a ton and are placing a big bet that we can continue to innovate and grow. That’s what we think is needed to move something forward, especially an emerging sport. We’re hoping you can continue to push the sport forward with us.

Thanks,

Chris Ruder

CEO, Spikeball Inc.