Gladiator Lacrosse Equipment Update | Shark Tank Season 7

When Rachel Zietz was 13, she was practicing lacrosse almost every day and kept buying rebounders to help with her training. Each one broke after a few months, even though they were expensive. Tired of wasting money, she decided to make her own—Gladiator Lacrosse, a stronger, longer-lasting rebounder that helps players train without worrying about their gear breaking. Can this teenage entrepreneur score big in the Tank? Let’s find out in our Gladiator Lacrosse update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Gladiator Lacrosse after Shark Tank.

Rachel entered Shark Tank Season 7, seeking $100,000 for 15% equity in her quality training equipment for lacrosse. After her pitch, she left without a deal.

In terms of a Gladiator Lacrosse update, the company successfully secured retail partnerships. The company’s smart collaborations, including a signature line with Casey Powell and the acquisition of All Ball Pro, helped boost annual revenue to $9 -$10 million.

Shark	Result
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Daymond John	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer

Shark Tank Gladiator Lacrosse Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Rachel Zietz
• Business: Quality training equipment for lacrosse
• Ask: $100,000 for 15% equity
• Result: No deal
• Shark: None

Rachel, a 15-year-old entrepreneur, stepped into Shark Tank, dressed in a sports jersey and holding a lacrosse stick to pitch her company, Gladiator Lacrosse.

Right from the start, she made it clear she wasn’t just a business owner—she was also a player.

To demonstrate, she bounced a ball off her rebounder and caught it smoothly with her stick. Then, she introduced the goal, explaining how both pieces of equipment help players train effectively.

As the demo continued, Daymond John stepped forward and gave the rebounder a try. The sharks chuckled as he caught the ball and handed the stick back quickly.

When the questions started, Robert Herjavec asked if her products were truly better than existing ones. Rachel said yes.

She explained that unlike other lacrosse gear, hers didn’t rust or tear. That durability set her brand apart.

Looking back, Rachel said she launched Gladiator Lacrosse at just 12 years old with a $30,000 loan from her parents.

By the time she appeared on the show, she had already repaid the loan and generated more than $300,000 in sales.

Kevin O’Leary was interested in market size to which Rachel explained that the market went well above $100 million, and she planned to dominate the market by expanding her product line.

She sold her products through her website, Amazon, eBay, lacrosse events, and select specialty stores.

When Daymond asked what gave her a competitive edge, Rachel said she used her own gear and understood the sport inside out.

She added that most of her competitors designed gear for multiple sports. As a result, they lacked the same level of insight into lacrosse that she had as a player.

Robert asked about production costs. Rachel said the rebounder cost $66 to make and retailed for $249.95. The goal cost $38.50 to make and sold for $149.95.

When Robert followed up, asking what she would do with the $100,000 investment, Rachel outlined her plan.

She wanted to improve distribution, hire a national sales team to sell at tournaments, and launch new products like goggles and sticks. She also mentioned being in talks with Walmart.

Despite her solid pitch, Kevin praised her drive but said the business still felt like a hobby and was too risky. He went out.

Similarly, Mark Cuban also went out. He said he didn’t know much about lacrosse but gave her credit for her hard work.

Soon after, Robert said she did a great job, but didn’t need funding right now. He went out too.

That left Lori Greiner and Daymond. Daymond said she was already doing so well that taking equity would hurt her more than help her. He went out.

Finally, Lori told Rachel she was inspired by her pitch and felt humbled. However, she didn’t have experience in lacrosse and couldn’t add value. She went out too.

Ultimately, Rachel had to leave without a deal, but do you think that stopped her drive?

Keep reading our Gladiator Lacrosse update to see what happened next.

Shark Tank Gladiator Lacrosse Update

Our Gladiator Lacrosse update found that the brand was featured in Time, USA Today, and The New York Times, generating an estimated $9 million in free publicity.

Shortly after, in 2016, Gladiator Lacrosse secured a key retail partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Then in 2019, the company expanded its reach by acquiring All Ball Pro, a sports equipment brand known for supplying gear to both college and professional athletes.

This strategic move allowed Gladiator to branch into other sports categories beyond lacrosse.

Rachel teamed up with 2014 Major League Lacrosse MVP Casey Powell, who became a brand ambassador and launched his own signature line under Gladiator.

In 2018, the company’s annual revenue reached $2 million. More recent estimates place yearly sales somewhere between $5 million and $25 million.

Additionally, Rachel earned a spot on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 List in 2020 and later graduated from Princeton University in May 2022.

At the time of writing our Gladiator Lacrosse update, her business reported annual revenue of approximately $9 – $10 million.

Gladiator Lacrosse remains active and continues to sell through its website and retail partners.

We are very confident that our next Gladiator Lacrosse update will be even more promising.

Interested in the other companies featured on Season 7 Episode 28? Follow the links below to see what happened with the other products in this episode.

• Camp No Counselors Update
• Extreme Vehicle Protection Update
• VPcabs Update

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 7 products.