How to Open a Whirlyball Arena

Part 1 - How to start a How to Open a Whirlyball Arena business - Background

A whirlyball business provides the public with an opportunity to have fun, build relationships, and improve their hand-eye coordination. Whirlyball is a team activity that is best described as a unison of basketball, jai alai, hockey, and lacrosse along with bumper car-esque whirlybug vehicles. Players form teams to compete against one another in hectic and incredibly fun whirlyball action.

Our guide is in 3 parts:

• Part 1 - How to start a Whirlyball business - Background
• Part 2 - Our planner tool to see if this idea is the right fit for you
• Part 3 - Action plan to get started

What are the costs involved in opening a whirlyball arena?

A whirlyball business requires a special electric court floor that typically spans about 4,000 feet. This space also requires bumper barriers along the walls. Plan on spending several thousand dollars at a bare minimum to renovate an existing basketball court or other indoor court to function as a whirlyball court. Securing such a space will likely cost several thousand dollars. Alternatively, you can rent the space on a monthly or yearly basis.

A number of different pieces of equipment are required to play the game. They include whirlybug vehicles, elevated backboards, whirlyballs, and plastic scoops. Such equipment will run about $5,000 to $10,000 or more. Insurance is necessary. Plan on spending several hundred dollars per month for insurance. Other requirements include cash registers, a point of sale system, a website, personnel, and an arena for whirlyball action to occur.

What are the ongoing expenses for a whirlyball arena?

The whirlyball court and equipment must be maintained. Budget in at least several hundred dollars a month for maintenance and equipment repairs. Labor costs will chew up a large amount of money. Clerks will make between $8 and $12 per hour. A maintenance worker will earn between $10 and $20 per hour. You can handle the accounting and marketing duties when the business is first starting out. However, if the business grows, professionals will eventually fill these roles. They will earn between $30,000 and $50,000 per year. The business must also pay for utilities, office supplies, insurance and marketing. Budget a couple hundred dollars per month for marketing efforts. Utilities including high-speed internet will run at least $150 per month. Budget another $50 to $150 for office supplies and other sundries.

Who is the target market?

The target market is wide-ranging. It includes youngsters as well as people who work and belong to organizations and groups of varying sorts. As an example, plenty of corporations rent out whirlyball courts as an opportunity for professionals to engage in a team-building exercise.

How does a whirlyball arena make money?

The business makes money by charging customer for every half hour or hour of play. It is also possible for customers to rent out whirlyball courts for an extended period of time. Plenty of customers reserve whirlyball courts for matches between their professional colleagues, friends, youth groups, family members, and other groups.

How much can you charge customers?

Upwards of $150 or more can be charged for a single hour of whirlyball action. However, the exact amount of money you charge should hinge on a number of different factors. Everything from the cost of other local entertainment options to customer demand and the quality of your whirlyball floor and equipment play a part in determining pricing.

How much profit can a whirlyball arena make?

The best whirlyball centers net in excess of $100,000 per month. Extrapolate this figure and it is possible for a whirlyball business to make more than a million dollars in a single year. The whirlyball business’s profit depends on the popularity of the activity in the area in which the facility is located. Profit level also hinges on marketing efforts and the quality of the whirlyball court/equipment.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Consider selling food and drinks on-site. It is also possible to make money by adding go-karts, a quarter-operated pool table and/or arcade machines.

Day-to-Day and Growth

What happens during a typical day at a whirlyball arena?

The typical day involves the scheduling of whirlyball matches, ensuring whirlybug vehicles are in tip-top shape, collecting payments and overseeing the whirlyball action. The business owner does everything from ordering new whirlyball equipment to delegating work to employees, managing marketing efforts, and ensuring participants are having a blast during whirlyball games.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful whirlyball arena?

This is the type of business that requires a passionate owner. Above all, the entrepreneur should have a sincere interest in this activity. Furthermore, he should be interested in whirlyball’s potential to strengthen ties between community members. Whirlyball brings people together who otherwise might not have interacted with one another. The best whirlyball business owner understands and appreciates the game to the point that selling its merits doesn’t feel like work. This natural enthusiasm will seep into his daily activities and motivate prospective customers as well as current customers to participate in whirlyball matches.

What is the growth potential for a whirlyball arena?

Whirlyball originated back in the 1960s yet it never hit a true mainstream tipping point. Whirlyball courts are beginning to pop up across the country. Whirlyball appeals to those who are looking for a way to enjoy a fun and competitive activity with others. Whirlyball will likely continue to grow in the coming years and decades as more people are exposed to it. A businessperson who launches a whirlyball business will likely make a substantial profit that creates the opportunity to open an one or several more whirlyball courts.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a whirlyball arena?

Whirlyball has not yet saturated the mainstream. It is on the brink of mainstream exposure. So don’t panic if the business does not take off right away. It might take several months or even a full year or longer for the business to gain momentum. Be patient.

How and when to build a team

You will need a team right away. As the business owner, you can only do so much. Though you can serve as the manager while the business is in its infancy, staff members will be necessary to handle other duties. Hire personnel to manage the arena’s schedule, coordinate and execute marketing efforts, maintain the court and equipment and accept payments.

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a whirlyball business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Part 2 - Is a How to Open a Whirlyball Arena business the right fit for you?

Part 3 - Action plan to launch your How to Open a Whirlyball Arena business in 90 days