# Spikeball: Chris Ruder

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-06-19
- Length: 1h 09m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder

## Summary

Chris Ruder, founder of Spikeball, explains how he revived a defunct 1989 game by securing the expired trademark and building a grassroots community among PE teachers, Christian youth groups, and the Amish. He details the early struggles of bootstrapping with $100,000, managing cash flow after entering Dick's Sporting Goods, and rejecting a Shark Tank deal to maintain brand control. Ruder also discusses the strategic decision to name the sport 'Roundnet' to protect the trademark and the acquisition of tournament software company Flango to diversify revenue.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder#t=0) Introduction: Chris Ruder and the Revival of Spikeball
- [7:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder#t=454) Discovering the Opportunity and Securing Rights
- [24:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder#t=1445) Bootstrapping: Manufacturing, Website, and Grassroots Marketing
- [39:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder#t=2399) Finding Early Adopters: Youth Groups, PE Teachers, and the Amish
- [47:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder#t=2851) Scaling to Retail: The Dick's Sporting Goods Deal and Cash Flow Risks
- [53:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder#t=3201) Shark Tank Appearance and Rejecting the Deal
- [58:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder#t=3504) Rebranding the Sport as 'Roundnet' and Building a Governing Body
- [1:03:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder#t=3813) Competition, Diversification, and Acquiring Flango

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Spikeball (product)
- Dick's Sporting Goods (company)
- Shark Tank (other)
- Flango (product)
- Young Life (company)
- Monster.com (company)
- Microsoft Xbox (product)
- Jeff Knurek (other)
- Tomi (company)
- Toys R Us (company)
- Franklin Sports (company)
- Spiderball (product)
- Rollerblade (product)
- Pickleball (product)
- International Roundnet Federation (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Rooting for the Home Team with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-27-rooting-for-the-home-team-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Bootstrapped to 800,000 Units Sold Worldwide: The Story Behind Rockit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-04-17-bootstrapped-to-800-000-units-sold-worldwide-the-story-behind-rockit) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [A Baseball Startup with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
- [011: DIY Design & Manufacture of a Basketball Training Tool with Tony Devine of The Original Profender](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the) (Product Startup)
- [095: Solve End-User Pain for Consumer Product Success](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-09-29-095-solve-end-user-pain-for-consumer-product-success) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-19-spikeball-chris-ruder. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.