Athalonz is launching a new pitching mound that uses real baseball clay and allows the pitcher to wear cleats and simulate game conditions. The product was developed by Major League baseball coaches and is currently in use at several high school facilities. Would appreciate any feedback from this forum. Thanks!
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It does look awfully nice, assuming they work and the pitcher isn't grinding into bare wood after a few dozen pitches. But also pretty expensive. I think it's getting into a price range where I'd expect the mound to be usable in games.
You asked for feedback so I assume you want honest critique. The mound looks great. The rest is very confusing. At a glance, it appears you are selling one product (the mound in two color options) and a handful of related accessories that you do not make. You have three founding members, a president, a CEO, director of procurement, pedorthist, medical advisor, two directors of marketing and a whole lot of fancy marketing blah blah to sell the one product? And yet, there is no basic info about weight and assembly of the unit. I assume you are planning on getting into several other products but it just isn't making sense for all the extra people and fluff to show up at this point. Hope that helps 
Do I get a free mound now? haha
Best wishes with your venture.
Technically, it appears to be "portable." But in reality, it looks like a pain in the neck to actually move? If I'm a coach directing my players to go set up the portable mound somewhere, it appears it will take 10-12 guys to move it, and set it up again?
Looks like the type of mound that you set up once, and avoid like the plague having to move it and set it up again?
For me, truly "portable" trumps the game-like conditions of the real terra firma this product offers.
Very cool idea however and I appreciate the creativity and inventive spirit. Good luck!
Good idea. Basically an indoor clay mound. But no way I'm buying it. Price is a pretty big deterrent up front. Aside from that, just doesn't look as functional as advertised. Not truly portable (as evidenced by the $150 cart as an accessory), not sure how to keep the clay firm and tamped if using it as portable, not sure how big the landing area is as it relates to different players stride length (especially based on the different body types at the HS level), not sure if the clay comes with it, or how many bags it takes to fill both trays.
If you had something being sold as a clay mound to throw off of indoors, portability not needed, I'm all over it. Just don't need something this fancy.
Question: at this price, who is your target market? In my mind, the places that have the budget to buy one or more, typically have the space and don't need it to be portable. The guys who need it to be truly portable and simpler probably don't have the budget.
Again, I really like the idea of an indoor clay mound, just not sure being "portable" helps out with sales.
The two things I noticed about it is it costs $3000 to not really be that portable as #1 Assistant Coach pointed out. Which ties me into my next point - if it's going to be a bear to move then why buy it since, as a high school coach, I'm probably going to use this in the gym. Setting it up and breaking down looks very time consuming but the real problem is do the guys have to change into cleats while on the mound because they aren't going to wear cleats anywhere inside the building let alone the actual gym floor. Plus, I now have to (well the guys have to) really spend time cleaning up all the clay that will eventually end up on the gym floor. As an AD I would never let my coach even bring it inside because of those reasons. If you're going to use it outside then why can't you just build a regular mound?
I hope you guys do great and make tons of money but for $3000 I'm going to find ways to get more bang for my buck.
Technically, it appears to be "portable." But in reality, it looks like a pain in the neck to actually move? If I'm a coach directing my players to go set up the portable mound somewhere, it appears it will take 10-12 guys to move it, and set it up again?
Check out the video of two guys putting it together (the trays are not loaded with clay in the video). Pretty simple, but I think the optional cart would be a necessity for most.
Athalonz, I would suggest that you add video of different age pitchers actually throwing on the mound. I'm curious if their feet ever end up on the seem between turf and clay. Also, more detail about the materials used. Specifically, the turf. The pitcher's cleats will be on that turf a lot and you'll need something heavy duty like Shaw Sports Turf to take that punishment.
Great idea. Best of luck.
Nice video of the 2 men setting it up I agree. But in reality to have it moved from one location to a new location of even 50 yards will take either 2 players 5-6 trips, or 10-12 players making one trip? Bottom line is its portability seems limited and nowhere near the ease that the standard turf ones are with wheels that 1-player can move 50 yards in two minutes.
Again, you have to balance out the dirt mound benefit with the true portability benefit?
