Pop-A-Shot says year-to-date sales are up 30% as it expands beyond arcade basketball

Pop-A-Shot says business is up 30% year-to-date as the 45-year-old arcade basketball brand adds new products, connected machines and a revived competitive circuit. The push is broadening the company beyond its signature game and into home, commercial and mobile play.

Why it matters: - Pop-A-Shot is trying to turn a single-product nostalgia brand into a broader business with home, commercial, youth and competitive offerings. - The company is pairing physical arcade play with connected scoring and national competition, which could make the brand more durable beyond the home market. - The growth comes after a post-pandemic slowdown and ahead of the holiday season, a key period for consumer sales.

What happened: - Pop-A-Shot said business is up 30% year-to-date. - CEO and co-owner Tony Stucker said the company is “feeling really optimistic heading into the holidays.” - Stucker said growth slowed for a few years after the pandemic and is now accelerating again. - The company unveiled or expanded products including the connected Elite line, Pop-A-Pass, Lil' Pop and a refreshed Super Slam. - Pop-A-Shot also introduced the Pop-A-Shot Pop-Up Mobile Arcade, a traveling trailer for events and communities.

The details: - Pop-A-Pass is the brand’s first product outside basketball and adapts the timed competition and scoring format to a football toss game. - Lil' Pop is designed for younger players. - The Elite platform lets players create profiles, save scores, compare results and compete across locations. - Elite also stores performance over time, so players can measure themselves against friends, local players and competitors nationwide. - Pop-A-Shot says the connected platform helped it return to commercial arcade and hospitality venues. - The National Championship returned in 2024 after being dormant for roughly 25 years. - The championship has grown into a national circuit with live qualifiers and connected competition through Elite. - City qualifiers draw strong participation, and virtual competition allows remote players to join. - The mobile arcade trailer is meant to bring competition directly to events, communities and players around the country. - Pop-A-Shot was invented in 1981 and is based in Peoria, Illinois. - Kelly and Tony Stucker own and operate the brand. - More information is available at Popashot.net.

Between the lines: - Pop-A-Shot is not just selling games. It is building a competition ecosystem around the brand. - Connected technology gives the company a way to keep players engaged after each game ends, which can deepen loyalty and create repeat use. - The revival of the national championship suggests Pop-A-Shot sees community and competition as growth engines, not just product add-ons. - Stucker said the challenge now is operational: deciding which opportunities matter most and scaling them effectively.

What's next: - Pop-A-Shot plans to keep investing in product development and the technology around its games. - The company is looking at additional league growth, new competitive formats and partnerships. - Further expansion of the circuit could give the brand more ways to reach players outside traditional arcades and home game rooms.

The bottom line: - Pop-A-Shot is using its classic arcade identity as a base for a wider business built on connected play, live competition and new formats.