When small startup companies are in need of a loan and seeking expert entrepreneur advice, applying to appear on Shark Tank is a risky but exciting option. Chris Gronkowski and his brothers decided to take the leap with Ice Shaker and pitch the idea to the sharks. While they did leave the show with two new business partners, plenty of other interesting events took place during their appearance.
The Brothers Played Flip Cup with the Sharks
From the moment the five Gronkowski brothers stepped onto the set of Shark Tank, viewers, and the sharks, knew it was going to be an exciting episode. Chris Gronkowski opened up with a solid pitch on the Ice Shaker, explaining its basic features and advantages over similar products. Then, the brothers got the sharks out of their seats and challenged them to a game of flip cup.
If you’re not familiar with this party game, the point of flip cup is to have your team drink the contents of a plastic cup–in this case, they were filled with water–and flip the cup on a table with one hand until it lands upside down. Once you’ve completed this, the next person on your team can try and whichever team flips all of their cups first wins the game. In an impressive show of skill, the Gronkowski brothers managed to land their cups on the first flip every time, beating the sharks.
The Sharks Urged the Gronkowski Brothers to Change the Name of the Ice Shaker
After Chris finished his well-prepared pitch for Ice Shaker, every shark was clamoring to make an offer, even upping the loan from Chris’ proposed $100,000 to $150,000. But, the first shark to put an offer on the table, Mr. Wonderful, had a stipulation—change the company’s name to include “Gronk.” Lori Greiner, the investor who helped make scrub daddy one of Shark Tank’s biggest successes, was the first to suggest this, but all the sharks agreed that this marketing move could make sales skyrocket.
In an interesting turn of events, Chris actually refused to alter Ice Shaker, explaining that branding the product with their family name would limit their market demographic. In the end, the Gronkowski brothers took the advice of the sharks by creating an edition of the Ice Shaker named the Gronk Shaker.
Gordie Gronkowski Sat on Barbara’s Lap
Though the Gronkowskis’ time on the show only lasted around 10 minutes, filming takes much longer, which gave the guys and the sharks plenty of time to mingle and get to know each other better. They become so close in fact that Gordie Gronkowski actually sat on investor Barbara Corcoran’s lap! While this particular moment didn’t make the final cut in the show, Chris Gronkowski claims it was one of his favorite moments from the experience. “Getting the chance to meet Barbara, Mark, Alex and the rest of the sharks was a pleasure,” he says. “I’ve watched them on TV so much that it felt like I had already known them.”
Alex Rodriguez Teamed up With Mark Cuban on an Offer
Appearing for the first time on Shark Tank, Alex Rodriguez brought an interesting perspective to the show as a shark. Famous for his time as a shortstop and third baseman for the Yankees, Rodriguez, better known to fans as A-Rod, related to the Gronkowski brothers as both a professional athlete and a businessman. “I love the backstory,” he told them. “I own part of 1,000 gyms in 20 countries. I understand athletes.” But, Mark Cuban wasn’t going to be cut out of a deal he believed to have a ton of potential, so he offered to team up with A-Rod and raise the investment amount to $150,000 for a 15 percent share of the company. Before leaving the show, the Gronkowskis were stoked that they not only found investors and mentors, but they were collaborating with a fellow athlete.
Chris Gronkowski Tried to Cut Lori into the Deal with Mark and Alex
Because all the sharks were so interested in the Ice Shaker, Chris Gronkowski had to make a tough choice when faced with offers from four different parties. After hearing Mark Cuban and Alex Rodriguez’s offers, he was certainly tempted, but Lori Greiner tried to sweeten the deal with her own offer. Confronted with two appealing options, Chris took a chance and proposed the idea of Lori joining Mark and Alex’s deal. But, business shark Mark Cuban was not about to let another investor into his agreement and quickly shut down the proposal with an “absolutely not.”