Ben Wood came on Shark Tank with his company, ViewSPORT, which has unique apparel for athletes. He came from Rochester, New York. His company has a unique feature of showing a unique message when the athlete wears their clothes, which are made from special fabric technology.
His mission was to encourage athletes to work out and see the hidden message on the shirt. The message only activates when they exercise and start sweating. It must be a message, logo, or special graphic that makes the athletes excited for the workout.
Ben appeared on Shark Tank seeking $500,000 for 20% equity in his company, whose valuation was $2.5 million. Even though the Sharks seemed curious about this product, we never knew what happened next.
In this article, we will discuss their branding, marketing, pricing, costing, and margin rate, and whether they secured the deal from the Sharks or not.
ViewSPORT Net Worth
Ben Wood went on Shark Tank asking for $500,000 for 20% of ViewSPORT. This meant he valued the company at $2.5 million. He did not make a deal with any Shark, so there was no new deal valuation for the company. The episode aired on April 13, 2012. At the time of the pitch, ViewSPORT had generated about $140,000 in sales, with much of that revenue coming during the months shortly before filming. ViewSPORT remained in business after Shark Tank and continues to sell its patented sweat-activated fitness apparel through its official website. Current business estimates place its annual revenue at around $2.5 million. Based on its continued operations, patented technology, current product sales, and estimated annual revenue, the current net worth of ViewSPORT is estimated to be around $10 million as of 2026.
Did ViewSPORT Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
No, ViewSPORT did not secure any deal from the Sharks. Ben asked for $500,000 for 20% equity, but the Sharks were concerned about the company’s valuation because it generated only $140,000 in sales during the appearance on Shark Tank.
Even though the Sharks saw the potential in his company, they thought it might be licensed to a major brand. But because of its valuation, they did not move further with the investment. That’s why they did not convince any Shark to invest.
ViewSPORT Deal Table
| Shark’s name | Offers | Accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Cuban | Out | No |
| Robert Herjavec | Out | No |
| Barbara Corcoran | Out | No |
| Kevin O’Leary | Out | No |
| Daymond John | Out | No |
Founder’s Backstory
Ben Wood created something unique when he got the idea of launching ViewSPORT because it combined two different areas of expertise, including chemistry and athletics. Ben has a background in chemistry and has knowledge of how things are engineered when they react with each other under particular conditions. And as a coach, he knew the importance of motivation for athletes. So that’s how ViewSPORT came into being.
He had a unique idea: he used sweat to make the design in the clothing. When the shirt is dry, it looks normal, but when the athlete begins sweating, it shows motivational messages, graphics, and logos that encourage them to do more workouts for better performance.
He also explained that it can be used by individuals as they prefer; for example, teams can put their team logos on apparel, companies can customize, and large brands can also license this technology for their clothing.
Ben saw this licensing opportunity as the turning point of ViewSPORT because after that he did not need to manufacture or customize every shirt himself. If the technology can be used by larger brands or companies, they can automatically tackle the larger market for sure.
ViewSPORT Shark Tank Pitch
Ben entered Shark Tank for his company ViewSPORT, seeking $500,000 for 20%. He started his pitch by highlighting the key feature of his product. He explained that the shirt looks normal when it is dry, but when it comes into contact with liquid, it shows the hidden motivational message for the athletes.
He mentioned that the fabric was breathable, hypoallergenic, and safe, which made it suitable for exercise purposes. He planned to manufacture the clothes in the United States, which raised concerns about the margin rate and cost. Even though the Sharks thought that the $2.5 million valuation was so high compared to the company’s sales.
Despite wanting to license the company with other major brands like Nike and Under Armour, which increased their market potential and sales, it’s still his plan, not the action. That’s why the Sharks did not give him an offer.
Shark Questions, Negotiations, and Reactions
Mark Cuban was curious about it and wanted to find any other way to increase sales without his own clothing line. Ben replied that technology could be licensed by other major brands, and they can use it in their own clothing line, which can increase their sales and marketing. But Mark thought that the valuation was high compared to their current sales.
Kevin O’Leary was concerned about the sales of ViewSPORT because Kevin is always interested in numbers. Ben replied that they currently generated $140,000 in sales. After this statement, Kevin thought that their valuation did not justify the amount of investment they asked for.
Barbara Corcoran did not like the idea of using sweat on clothing because it did not look appealing. Ben explained that they designed their product in this way so they could motivate athletes to do more exercise, but Barbara did not look convinced.
Robert Herjavec asked whether this product competed with other athletic clothing brands that have huge sales in the market and have great recognition. Ben explained that their strategy to do licensing and partnerships with other major clothing brands gives an advantage to ViewSPORT so they don’t have to compete with others on their own. Despite all this discussion, the Sharks still did not find it worth investing in.
Why Sharks Said No?
The biggest concern of the Sharks for saying no to the deal was their valuation because Ben asked for $500,000 for 20% equity. Even though they only made $140,000 in sales at the time of their appearance on Shark Tank.
The Sharks were also concerned about the manufacturing cost. Ben mentioned that he wanted to launch their product in U.S.-based manufacturing, which makes it expensive compared to manufacturing overseas.
Barbara did not like the idea of using sweat as a point of excitement because it does not look appealing. That’s why she said no to the deal.
Even though the Sharks noticed that licensing technology has potential that can increase sales, this aspect was not enough to convince them to invest. Daymond John also went out and did not make an offer.
Where to Buy ViewSPORT and Product Features
Customers can buy ViewSPORT from the official website for $24–26, depending on the category. They designed this product to encourage athletes to exercise more for better performance. For motivation, they hide a special message or motivation for the athletes; it appears only when they begin sweating.
ViewSPORT increased its revenue by licensing with other major brands and used their marketing for its benefit.
What Happened to ViewSPORT After Shark Tank?
ViewSPORT’s story began to gain real success when Ben appeared on Shark Tank. Even though he did not get any deal from the Sharks, he took the feedback from the Sharks seriously and focused on partnerships with other larger brands, which increased their commercial reputation in the market.
They secured numerous partnerships and contracts, working with different brands and organizations like the U.S. Army, Aramark, the U.S. Navy, ESPN, and the Washington Capitals. The company’s significant achievement was that they sold $1.4 million in sweatshirts to the U.S. Army and generated a $6.9 million valuation.
Ben made his revenue by licensing with other brands, customizing apparel, and selling for organizations instead of being entirely dependent on retail customers.
Conclusion
ViewSPORT left the Shark Tank studio without any investment, but this was the beginning of their story; he entered and sought $500,000 for 20% of his company, whose valuation was $2.5 million with $140,000 in sales, which did not impress the Sharks. Ben did not compromise on his idea of sweat technology because he knew his target audience, and his motive was simple: to encourage athletes to exercise more.
But the Sharks were not impressed by his sales tactics, which is why they did not offer him any deal. He stuck to his strategy for increasing his sales, which was licensing with other brands and using their market reputation for the company’s benefit. With this idea, he generated a $6.9 million valuation from the U.S. Army, which was the biggest achievement.
His story shows that if you did not get a result from the first attempt, then something bigger than that is waiting for you; you just have to be consistent and passionate. Stay tuned to know more about ViewSPORT in the future.
