After closing a $7.3 million Series A fundraise, the Topgolf-like baseball venue will establish its first US location in Addison.
By Ben Swanger | July 30, 2024 | 6:44 am
After Batbox planted its U.S. headquarters in Addison in 2022, the Topgolf-like baseball venue, which has four locations in Mexico, is moving forward with development plans in Addison following a $7.3 million fundraise. Batbox is targeting MLB’s Opening Day in March 2025 to open its first baseball simulator and sports bar venue in the U.S.
The company has leased a 13,000-square-foot location at Village on the Parkway right off the Dallas North Tollway near indoor mini golf venue Puttshack. The company is in the final phase of architectural planning and will soon begin permitting. Between October and November, it will commence construction and is aiming to wrap up by the end of February.
In the first year, Batbox CEO and Founder Jose Vargas expects the Addison venue to bring in between $7 million and $10 million in revenue. The locale, which will have 10 baseball cage simulators, will create 60 local jobs. In addition to using the recent fundraise to build the Addison location, Vargas is aiming to increase his corporate staff from three to as many as 25.
“Unlike golf fans who can play the sport for their entire life, baseball fans have only been able to interact with the game through watching it,” Vargas said. “So, I think there’s a huge, billion-dollar gap there for people to be able to interact with baseball in a new, fun way. And I really believe that Batbox will become the leader in the industry.”
For the last two years Batbox has been working to get to this point. Amidst its fundraise for its flagship location, Vargas began deploying Batbox simulators in stadiums and various entertainment concepts across the country. He scored a deal with the Kansas City Royals to place its simulators in Kauffman Stadium, as well as other various entertainment venues across the country.
After the Addison location is up and running, Batbox will initiate a Series B fundraise targeting between $18 million and $25 million in funding. With that capital, Vargas plans to open Batbox locations in Houston, Denver, Atlanta, and Boston. A Series C fundraise is also in the plans which will provide capital for eight additional locations. All venues will be unique. The company is able to build up to 25,000 square feet or have a footprint as small as 5,000 square feet.
“The goal is to have 10 to 15 locations in the next three to four years,” Vargas said. “Between five and seven years, we’re going to have 25 locations up and running. … Other entertainment brands in this space need a huge real estate footprint whereas we can be very scalable and very flexible regarding square footage and size of the location. The smaller footprints could even be next to baseball stadiums.”
Capacity for the Addison venue will be around 300. Batbox will charge between $10 to $25/per hour, per person for a simulator rental. The simulators are outfit with a pitching machine behind an HD projection screen about 50 feet away from home plate. To capture contact, impact, and trajectory, the simulators are equipped with Strikezon technology, a high-speed laser camera sensor system above the batter’s box. Strikezon was developed by Golfzon Newdin Group, the largest indoor entertainment company in the world with over 40,000 sports simulators installed in more than 7,000 locations in over 65 countries.
“While baseball enjoys a rich history and a passionate fan base, there has been a significant gap in immersive, interactive experiences that rejuvenate the sport,” said Craig Winning, COO of Batbox. “Batbox addresses this gap by offering a fun and exciting alternative, providing a fresh approach for both baseball enthusiasts and entertainment fans alike.”
Batbox patrons can play up to nine innings of baseball or hit in a home run derby tournament with up to 18 participants per batting cage. The velocity of the pitch and level of defensive play is customizable. The ball is a bit softer than a traditional baseball. Batbox will also offer leagues and tournaments for people to compete in. Once the network of 25 locations is built out, patrons will be able to play against other people in the various Batbox locations across the country.
“Coming to Dallas first was a no brainer for us,” Vargas said. “Its a growing city, a huge sports hub, and we are very excited for the market to experience us.”