What Bubbleball does

Bubbleball Inc., doing business as the Bubbleball Business Association (BBA), is a Delaware C-corporation headquartered in El Cajon, California, that manufactures and distributes inflatable body zorb balls under the proprietary "bubbleball" brand. Founded in 2014 by Mahdad Taheri, the company has positioned itself as the self-described governing body for the sport of bubbleball in the United States, developing and licensing proprietary BBA rulesets used in organized tournaments and league play. By 2017 it had built a network of 65 licensed operators and claimed more than 100,000 cumulative participants across its history.

The company operates a multi-revenue model spanning equipment sales and rentals, licensing of certified operators, tournament operations, sponsorships, insurance products, and commissions. Pricing is tiered across affiliate/equipment packages, with entry-level operator bundles starting at approximately $1,900 and premium bundles reaching approximately $12,000. Customer segments include corporate team-building clients, schools, party and event rental operators, recreational sports teams, and individual players. The business suffered material contraction during COVID-19 as its operator base shrank, and is currently in a rebuilding phase after closing a seed financing round in Q4 2023 and re-recruiting operators and league management staff through 2024, with ambitions tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026 window.

Name

Bubbleball

Legal name

Bubbleball Inc.

Website

https://bubbleball.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bubbleball Inc. is a Delaware C-corp that manufactures inflatable zorb balls, licenses proprietary BBA sport rules, and operates tournaments for certified operators, schools, and corporate clients across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports & Recreational Equipment

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Toy and Hobby Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423920)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Play & Sports Toys Distribution (CRAOAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Party Games, Novelty & Impulse Toy Distribution (CRAOAMAI)

Keywords

• Inflatable sports equipment
• Bubble soccer gear
• Zorb ball rental
• Sports franchise program
• Contact sport apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Direct sales of bubbleballs, pumps, repair kits, bags, and accessories through shop.bubbleball.us. Multiple equipment packages from 8-pack ($3,500) to 36-pack ($12,000).
2. Equipment Rentals: BBA operators rent bubbleballs to corporate events, schools, parties, and groups. Suggested rental pricing of $15-$30/person.
3. Licensing Fees - Affiliates: Affiliates pay $0 license fee but purchase equipment at up to 30% discount. Monthly dues starting at $1,900 total investment for equipment plus membership.
4. Licensing Fees - Partners: Partners pay $375/quarter for regional territory rights. License terms range from quarterly to 5-year options with savings up to 50%.
5. Tournament Operations: Partners receive $3,000 from BBA per sponsored tournament event they operate. Additional revenue from local sponsorship sales, ticketing, and merchandise.
6. Sponsorship & Media: National and regional sponsorship sales for tournaments, league broadcasting revenue shares, and media content distribution partnerships.
7. Insurance Services: Partners can recoup insurance costs by insuring members in their territory and charging their own rates.
8. Equipment Commissions: Partners receive 10% commission for referred equipment sales nationwide and 50% commission on annual BBA dues for members joining in their territory.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Bubbleball designs, manufactures, and sells inflatable bubbleball (zorb) equipment in PVC and TPU materials across three sizes, sold direct via shop.bubbleball.us and through a nationwide franchise network of rental and tournament operators. The company also operates the Bubbleball Business Association (BBA), governing body for the bubbleball sport, and runs league operations, tournaments, and Bubbles and Benefits community events in San Diego.

Product overview

Bubbleball operates as a sports and entertainment company with two distinct product lines: (1) Physical bubbleball equipment including inflatable body balls worn during play, available in three sizes (Small/Medium/Large) and two material grades (PVC Standard and TPU Premium), sold as standalone units or in equipment packages (8 Pack to 36 Pack), along with accessories (pumps, repair kits); (2) The BBA sports ecosystem comprising recreational games (Bubble Soccer, BBA Bubbleball official sport, Giant Bubble Soccer, Bubble Kickball), franchise/membership programs (Affiliate for local rentals, Partner for regional tournament operations), event services (Bubbles and Benefits community fundraising events, League Operations for tournament management), and insurance products. The core offering combines proprietary equipment with a structured competitive league format aimed at building a national governing body for the sport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BBA Bubbleballs (Small/Medium/Large) Inflatable body balls (zorb balls) worn by players for bubble soccer and BBA bubbleball games; available in Small (1.2m), Medium (1.5m), and Large (1.8m) sizes with Batman/Robin/Bane themed positioning.
• Standard Grade PVC Bubbleballs Entry-level bubbleballs made of polyvinyl chloride recommended for occasional personal or promotional use, available in red, blue, yellow, orange, green, and pink.
• High Grade TPU Bubbleballs Premium bubbleballs made of thermoplastic polyurethane recommended for active groups playing once or more weekly; offer superior abrasion resistance, flexibility, bounce, cold-weather performance, lighter weight, and recyclability, available in red, blue, yellow, orange, green, and black.
• Equipment Packages (8 Pack to 36 Pack) Bundled equipment packages including bubbleballs in various sizes, bags, pumps, and repair kits; ranges from 8 Pack ($3,500) to 36 Pack ($12,000), with optional 6-month financing or pay-in-full 10% discount.
• Repair Kits Easy-to-peel-and-stick patches and advanced kits with sealants for repairing holes on seams; available for both PVC and TPU products.
• Electric Air Pumps Air pumps for inflating and deflating bubbleballs; inflation takes approximately 2.5 minutes per ball.
• BBA Affiliate Program Entry-level local rental operator franchise starting at $1,900 total, providing 8 bubbleballs, local territory rights, website, training, warranties, up to 30% off equipment, operations manual, safety training, annual leads, $0 replacement coverage, and no-credit-check financing.
• BBA Partner Program Regional franchise and tournament operator program starting at $1,950-$2,500 with $375/quarter dues, offering exclusive territory rights, equipment, website, training, managed Google/Facebook advertising, CRM access, unlimited graphic design, sponsorship revenue share, and a dedicated partnership manager.
• BBA Tournaments Single-day beginner tournaments where BBA partners receive $3,000 sponsorship per event from BBA, with partners handling player recruitment, venue sourcing, referee hiring, and food/beverage coordination.
• Bubbles and Benefits Community Events Free community fundraising events combining sport, entertainment, art, and technology; designed for beginners to learn bubbleball and for communities to shape the BBA league while raising funds for causes such as Blood Cancer United.
• League Operations Full-service league management including tournament design, marketing, technology, equipment sourcing, safety and game rule training, media production, and league development for regional expansion.
• General Liability & Accident Insurance Insurance coverage for bubbleball activities provided through Bubbleball Inc., including general liability and accident medical coverage; partners can recoup costs by insuring members in their territory.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 participants have engaged with bubbleball programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Dos Palmas CafeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Local restaurant sponsor for 2025 San Diego Bubbles and Benefits events.
• Luna GrillminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Local restaurant sponsor for 2025 San Diego Bubbles and Benefits events.
• San Diego House of JerkyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Local sponsor for 2025 San Diego Bubbles and Benefits events.
• NYU (Master's Thesis)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Taheri's Master's dissertation at NYU on 'Critical Success Factors for Creating the Next Major American League Sport' shaped company's long-term roadmap for evolving bubbleball into an athletic sport.
• DICK's Sporting GoodscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019First sponsor of San Diego tournaments starting in 2019. Provided sponsorship support for early league events along with other brand partners. Critical early validation from major sports retailer.
• FITAID (Life Aid Beverage Co.)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Beverage sponsor for San Diego bubbleball tournaments providing product samples and sampling opportunities at events.
• Made in NatureminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Snack sponsor for early San Diego tournaments providing healthy snack products for participants.
• Skyzone Franchise GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Alex Benepe, advisory board member and former US Quidditch CEO, serves as Director of Leagues overseeing 700-team Ultimate Dodgeball Championship series. Exploring opportunities to expand the sport of bubbleball through franchise park network.
• Blue Sky Labs / TVIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Innovation lab within Taheri's New York design agency TVI where the bubbleball concept was initially developed. Bubbleball Inc. was spun off from this lab on April 15, 2014.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Archery Tag: Operator of a competitive recreational archery sport with franchise/licensing model. Similar alternative-sport business model with equipment sales, league operations, and franchise network competing for the same recreational sport venue dollars.
• Gaga Ball: Emerging social sport (gaga ball pit) with growing adoption in schools, camps, and recreational facilities. Represents a competing low-cost niche sport that targets similar institutional buyers (schools, camps, parks).

Direct peers

• Knockerball: Most direct competitor in the inflatable bubble ball sport category. Offers similar bubble ball suits for recreational play, league operations, and franchise opportunities, directly competing with BBA's equipment and operator network.
• Bubble Soccer Inc. Established bubble soccer equipment supplier and operator running recreational leagues and events in multiple markets. Directly competes with BBA on equipment sales and rental/tournament operations.
• Stinger Sports: Manufacturer and distributor of bubble soccer balls and team-building sport equipment targeting schools, camps, and recreation centers. Competes on the B2B equipment supply side of the same category.
• US Quidditch Association: Alternative sport governing body founded by BBA advisor Alex Benepe. Took a niche sport from 20 students to 170 college teams and 4,100+ players, providing the playbook that BBA explicitly references for its national league ambition.

Broad incumbents

• ZogSports: Established social sports league operator running co-ed recreational leagues across multiple U.S. cities. While not bubbleball-specific, operates in the same social sports league category and competes for the same corporate team-building and recreational event budgets.
• Underdog Sports (formerly City Leagues): Multi-sport social adult league operator with national reach across basketball, kickball, bowling, and other recreational sports. Competes for the same young adult (18-30) demographic seeking social fitness experiences.
• Sky Zone: National franchise network of indoor trampoline parks operating 700+ dodgeball and recreation programs via Ultimate Dodgeball Championship. Advisory board member Alex Benepe directs league operations there, making it a direct channel partner and category-adjacent alternative recreation venue.
• Premier Lacrosse League: Alternative American professional sports league created by Paul Rabil. While a different sport, represents the playbook of building a national league from scratch with media rights and tour-based scheduling, the same trajectory BBA aspires to.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGMMmMhLbdjUKepF95dS4qw/videos
• Xx.com/bubbleballus
• Facebookfacebook.com/BubbleBallUS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bubbleball-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bubbleball