Bad Birdie on ‘Shark Tank’: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Entrepreneur Jason Richardson brought his fresh twist on sports fashion company Bad Birdie to the sharks on ABC’s Shark Tank to see if he could score a deal from an investor.

In a clip obtained by TV Insider, Richardson said he is looking for a $300,000 investment in his company in exchange for 10 percent equity in the company. He presented his colorful golf polos, saying that most options are safe and unoriginal.

He pitched to Sharks Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John and Mark Cuban.

Here’s what you should know about Bad Birdie:

1. The Company Offers Funky Designs on Golf Polos

Bad Birdie vows to beat out the golf polos of the past, which are mostly solid colors or basic stripes, with their new, colorful patterns and designs.

The designs available on the Bad Birdie website currently include Palm, the Joey, the Alpha, Bloom, Daisy and more. There are currently nearly two dozen different patterns available for purchase.

The polos, while they may be meant for golf, are stylish enough that a golfer could wear them off the course as well.

“Most polos out there don’t have the sauce. They’re boring. Vanilla. Unmemorable. Safe,” the website reads. “All of these golf brands are laying up, making the same shirts our grandpas wore. We knew something had to change.”

2. The Polos Are Built for Athletes

The attire sold by Bad Birdie was created specifically for golfing which can include spending hours at a time outside in the sun. That calls for a shirt with protection from the sun that will also not hold in moisture.

Bad Birdie’s polos are said to be moisture-wicking, anti-odor and anti-microbial. Plus, they are supposed to offer some protection from the sun.

The polos are sold for $72 each at the time of writing. There is also a promotion where you can put in your email and refer a friend to get $20 off.

3. They Also Sell Hats and Quarter zips

For additional comfort and sun protection, Bad Birdie offers a variety of hats ranging from dad hats to snapbacks. The 100% cotton dad hats are usually $30, but some are currently on sale for $20.

The Birdie Snapbacks are made of 90 percent polyester and 10 percent spandex. They have a Birdie logo in the front and the words “Bad Birdie” embroidered on the left side of the hat. The hats retail for $30.

When it comes to quarter zips, there are only two that are usually offered, though one is sold out at the time of writing. They are made of cotton, modal and spandex and feature an athletic fit with a sleeve length that is optimized to not get in the way of a golfer’s swing.

There is also golfing merch available on the site like socks and long sleeve tees.

4. Richardson’s First Job Was as a Caddy

According to an interview with Gande Magazine, Richardson worked as a golf caddy starting when he was just 12 years old, which sparked his interest in the sport.

Richardson grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and later moved out to Los Angeles to go to college where he earned a marketing degree. He began working in the advertising industry after his graduation.

His experience with running companies prior to Bad Birdie consisted of running a commercial photography company for about or year. When asked what it would take that was different to run Bad Birdie, he said that the process of opening was tough but, while it has still been an uphill climb, everything else has been simpler.

“A lot of companies start and have to fight to open that door and differentiate themselves. I think for us, it’s been pretty easy to make that headway,” he said. “I’m not trying to come off cocky, but there’s just not really anyone making polos like we do. That being said, we have to actually follow through and keep building the company down that road of opportunity. There’s a long long way to go.”

5. Coming Up With the Name Was Hard for Richardson

In the Gande Magazine interview, Richardson explained that coming up with the name for Bad Birdie was one of the hardest parts of the process for him. He said he went to tournaments with samples and tested out names, but none of them were working for him for a long time.

“I was sitting in my room late one night and decided to go over my list again.  It was in alphabetical order, and I started at the top with some alliteration ideas,” he said. “After I got through ‘A’ I went to ‘B’ and Birdie was on the top of the list. I said a couple things like ‘Bold Birdie.’ Lame… ‘Bro Birdie.’ Nah… ‘Bad Birdie…’ I said it a few more times, and I felt like it clicked.”

He said he told some friends later and they liked it, and that was that.

Tune in to Shark Tank to see if Richardson scores a deal from one of the sharks.

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