BocceRoll After Shark Tank: What Changed in the $149 Yard Game?
BocceRoll agreed to $100,000 for 25% on Shark Tank. Its second-generation set answers a specific complaint from early players.
A good yard game has to earn its place twice: first on the lawn, where someone has to explain it to the other players, and then in the car, where it competes for space with everything else. BocceRoll’s answer to the second problem is also the most distinctive piece of the first. Its bamboo ramp rolls around the parts when the game is over.
Three Wisconsin inventors brought the game to Shark Tank and agreed to give up a quarter of the business for $100,000. The strongest public evidence of what happened to the product afterward is less glamorous than the handshake. The company now lists a second-generation set, and one of the changes directly addresses a complaint an early player left on the store: paint from the balls marked the cups.
$100,000
On-air investment
Lori Greiner and Chip and Joanna Gaines agreed to invest.
25%
On-air equity
The inventors originally offered 10%.
$149
Listed price
The company lists a second-generation set.
Product snapshot
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Company | BocceRoll |
| Founder or founding team | Nikki Hageman, Ben Fisher and Claude Drehfal |
| Product | Portable ramp-and-target yard game for one to four players |
| Industry | Outdoor recreation |
| Shark Tank episode | Season 17, Episode 11 • January 28, 2026 |
| Current status | Second-generation game listed on the official store |
How do you play BocceRoll?
Players send wooden balls along a ramp toward targets. There is a small target ball, or pallina, as in bocce, and a set of cups that gives a new player something obvious to aim for. The design borrows the approachability of rolling a ball at an arcade while moving the action onto grass or sand. A measuring tape comes with the set for close calls.
The manufacturer’s specifications list five targets, eight wooden balls, stakes, two ramp supports and bags. When play ends the components pack inside the ramp, which rolls into a cylinder about 19 inches long and seven inches across. The entire set weighs nine pounds. That makes its best comparison a flat cornhole board taking up trunk space, rather than a pocket-size travel game.
Who built BocceRoll?
Nikki Hageman, Ben Fisher and Claude Drehfal developed BocceRoll during Make48, a timed invention challenge. They had engineering backgrounds and a deadline that left little room for an elaborate explanation. A player could watch one roll and understand the appeal. A Kickstarter campaign then gave the team a way to test whether strangers would pay for a set before retail distribution became the main question.
The inventors pictured on the official BocceRoll website.
“We hope you enjoy playing it as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it!” — Nikki, Ben and Claude, BocceRoll
What happened to BocceRoll on Shark Tank?
The team offered 10% for $100,000. According to the episode account, Lori Greiner and guest Sharks Chip and Joanna Gaines agreed to the same check for 25%. The amount of cash stayed fixed; the price of each percentage point of the business fell from $10,000 to $4,000. The agreement shown on television does not establish whether those terms survived due diligence.
The same account reports $564,000 in 2024 sales and a $1.1 million projection discussed around the pitch. The distinction matters. A forecast tells viewers what the team thought it could sell. It does not establish a second year of actual sales, much less the profit from selling a nine-pound product.
Deal snapshot
| Negotiation point | What the evidence supports |
|---|---|
| Opening ask | $100,000 for 10% |
| Agreement shown | $100,000 for 25% |
| Investors | Lori Greiner, Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines |
| Implied post-money price | $1 million at the ask; $400,000 at the final terms |
| Closing | No independent confirmation in the sources reviewed |
What has to go right for a $149 yard game?
The business sells a complete game in a single purchase. The customer can see the materials and compare the package with simpler alternatives. The harder calculation belongs to the founders: the $149 sticker price has to cover the pieces, packaging, freight and customer service. Selling through another retailer could introduce the game to shoppers who would never search for it by name, but would also leave part of the retail price with that seller.
The ramp’s dual purpose helps the sales pitch because it addresses an objection before the buyer raises it. Portability still involves carrying nine pounds. For the customer who drives to family gatherings this might be perfectly manageable; for someone carrying beach chairs and a cooler a long way from the parking lot, that number matters more than an adjective like portable.
Business model snapshot
| Business question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Sale | A complete physical game set |
| Primary buyer benefit | Shared outdoor play with a packable ramp |
| Delivery constraint | A nine-pound kit with multiple wooden and metal pieces |
| Unknowns | Wholesale margins, returns and current annual sales |
What happened after Shark Tank?
Latest update — November 12, 2026. BocceRoll’s official store lists its Generation 2 set at $149 and describes adjustments to both the finish and the ramp supports.
A June 2025 customer review on the product page mentions color rubbing onto the cups. The Generation 2 notes identify a stained finish in place of the earlier paint. The juxtaposition gives shoppers a useful way to interpret an old review: it describes a problem with a version that has since changed. It does not prove every new set will be free from wear. The brand’s homepage also continues to feature its television appearance.
Current status evidence
| Evidence | What it establishes |
|---|---|
| Generation 2 product listing | Specifications and a public price are available. |
| Dated review and revision notes | The maker changed a finish associated with a specific early complaint. |
| Independent episode coverage | Supports the televised deal; does not establish current ownership. |
Company timeline
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Make48 challenge | The three Wisconsin inventors developed the game under a 48-hour deadline. |
| June 2025 | An early store reviewer noted paint transfer. |
| January 2026 | The founders agreed to a three-Shark deal on television. |
| November 2026 | The store describes Generation 2 improvements. |
Who is the game a good fit for?
The set is designed for one to four people, so a group can take turns without needing two full teams. Before buying, check how much outdoor space you have for the targets, whether you can use stakes there and where you will store the wood afterward. The manufacturer advises keeping the set dry and storing it indoors. An outdoor game and an all-weather fixture are different purchases.
For a family that already leaves a cornhole set at a vacation property, portability may be a small advantage. For a host who brings a game to a different gathering each weekend, being able to carry the pieces and playing surface together could be the deciding feature.
What can founders learn from BocceRoll?
The most persuasive evidence of product development here fits in a single comparison: a customer described a mark left on a cup, and the next edition changed the finish. Founders who keep old reviews visible alongside dated revision notes can answer a reasonable buyer objection without pretending it never existed.
The deal offers a different lesson. The team did not raise more money by tripling the number of investors at the table. It agreed to sell a larger share for access to those partners. The long-term value of that exchange depends on what they can deliver beyond the check.
The Season 17 episode guide lists the other pitches. Readers following the other Episode 11 pitches can also find The Yes Girls, SOMNIA+, Street FC’s approach to recreational play.
Frequently asked questions
Did BocceRoll get a deal? Yes, an on-air agreement for $100,000 for 25%.
Which Sharks invested on television? Lori Greiner and guest Sharks Chip and Joanna Gaines.
How much is Generation 2? The official listing showed $149 at the time of review.
What changed in Generation 2? The maker describes stained wood finishes, revised supports and a more compact design.
Can the game stay outside? The company advises keeping it dry and storing it indoors.
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