He wanted a football to throw on the beach. It launched a $4 million business

Business & Government

He wanted a football to throw on the beach. It launched a $4 million business

Kurt Benkert displayed all the energy of a kid in a candy store – except he was doing it as a 30-year-old retired football player in a Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“I used to buy my cleats here when I was growing up,” Benkert posted to Instagram on Tuesday from inside his local Dick’s in Florida. “Now, they sell my football. … Bet on yourself.”

At the University of Virginia, Benkert was a with a big arm. A decade later, he’s a successful entrepreneur with a big imagination.

“If you let him,” Benkert’s business partner, Matt Blakely, said, “he’ll come up a new idea every single day.”

Benkert won’t be playing in the Super Bowl next Sunday, but he’s still an active contributor to his beloved sport. The former Atlanta Falcon, Green Bay Packer and San Francisco 49er is now the founder of The Dime Lab, a football manufacturing company that’s generated more than $4 million in revenue since launching in the summer of 2024.

As of this week, Dime Lab balls are available in 40 Dick’s locations across the country. They’ve been in .

“All I ever wanted to prove to myself was that I could sell something,” Benkert told UVA Today.

“Dime” is football slang for an exceptionally precise pass. In the NFL, Benkert was privy to some of the best dime throwers in the game, most notably the Falcons’ Matt Ryan and the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers.

Benkert, too, was a dime-dropper, especially during the 2017 season when he tossed for a then-UVA-record 3,207 yards, helping the Cavaliers reach a bowl game for the first time in six years.

Kurt Benkert as a UVA Cavalier about to throw a pass in a gootball game against Central Michigan University

Benkert attempts a pass against Central Michigan University during �鶹�ƽ�� 49-35 win on Sept. 24, 2016. Benkert’s 5,759 career passing yards in a Cavalier uniform are fifth-most in program history. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

The Dime Lab was formed in the spirit of those who have perfected the pass, while also being accessible to anyone who enjoys a good game of catch. Benkert came up with the idea while on the beach.

“I wanted to make a better water football,” he said, while noting how his “Duke” ball, – a $160 value – would often be damaged after several saltwater splashes.

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In search of a solution, Benkert turned to Blakely, his friend in the Florida panhandle who had connections in the manufacturing industry. He sought silicone tack grips, a specific kind of microfiber and textured laces, among other requests.

“The factory he had already worked with on silicone was actually a ball factory,” Benkert said of Blakely. “It was like, ‘If you design this thing, we can make the machines that make it come to life.’”

A product was born.

Four Dime Lab footballs of different colors lying together on sand

A variety of Dime Lab footballs make imprints in the sand. The pink ball, “Scout,” is named after Benkert’s daughter. (Contributed photo)

The “Water Football,” , is now one of seven Dime Lab balls available, including “Scout,” .

Most balls come in sizes to fit even the smallest of dime throwers.

“At first, we marketed the ball as, basically, a premium ‘backyard’ football,” Blakely said. “We weren’t necessarily going for the hardcore football people through that language.

“But then, all of a sudden, people were starting to use it in their official flag football leagues. … We get emailed probably twice a week. ‘Can you quote me 40, 50 (balls) for this league?’”

During the holidays, Blakely said it was clear mothers were ordering for their children. “You could tell their kids saw a viral video or they saw a friend playing with it in the street,” he said.

Benkert on Jan. 1 announced The Dime Lab drew interest from “Shark Tank,” but he declined further opportunity with the hit ABC show for aspiring entrepreneurs

Benkert’s immense social media presence – he has 1.6 million followers across multiple platforms – has powered The Dime Lab’s quick rise. When he’s not breaking down game film for Sleeper, creating content for the EA Sports Madden video game or , he’s promoting his prized invention.

“We’ve got a lot of moving parts and a lot of different aspects to the different businesses, but they’ve been good,” Benkert said. “You just never know what each day is going to look like, which keeps it fun.”

Benkert has a bachelor’s degree in finance from East Carolina University and a master’s in education from UVA. The businessman also considers himself a teacher.

In addition to footballs, The Dime Lab website sells Benkert’s book, “,” which aims to simplify the complexities of the game through the perspective of someone who experienced it at the highest level.

Close up of Kurt Benkert’s book “Think Like a Quarterback”

Benkert is also the author of “Think Like a Quarterback,” an easy-to-understand guide on the complexities of football. (Contributed photo)

Blakely, a native Canadian who admits to little football knowledge, helped review it for a general audience. They report more than 10,000 copies sold.

“I’m sure I asked a lot of really dumb questions during that process,” Blakely said, “but that’s kind of necessary when trying to distill something in a simple way. I’m happy with how that turned out.”

Football – whether throwing it, selling it or writing about it – has been good business for Kurt Benkert.

“I’m using my hobbies to make money,” Benkert said with a laugh, “for sure.”