A TCU alum and his boss caught Mr. Wonderful’s eye on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’
Shortly after graduating from TCU, Horned Frog alumnus Michael Manoogian clinched a deal on “Shark Tank.”
STOMP Athletics founder David Gonzales told the sharks on the business reality show he was looking for “a sales guy with a killer instinct,” and that’s when he found Manoogian as a senior at TCU.
“So I was actually in college at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas; met with him [Gonzales], took a bunch of product in the back of my trunk, and within the first week I sold it out,” Manoogian told the room of investors on “Shark Tank” season 17, episode 17, which aired on Wednesday, April 15.
STOMP Athletics sells traction products like shoe armor and mats for athletes to keep their court shoes clean and retain grip. When playing on a court, dirt, sweat and grime can cause the bottom of an athlete’s shoe to become slippery, and dangerous. Some athletes use mats with sticky residue or their bare hands to clean their court shoes. STOMP Athletics products eliminate sticky, unsanitary options using microfiber technology.omp Athletics’ products eliminate those sticky and unsanitary options with their microfiber technology.
Manoogian was able to sell the mats to TCU basketball teams and Catholic schools around Fort Worth. After graduating in May 2024, he pitched STOMP products to ABC’s “Shark Tank,” and with Gonzales, scored a deal with multi-millionaire Kevin O’Leary.
According to casting director Mindy Zemrak, the show receives over 15,000 to 20,000 applicants per year.
Taking STOMP Athletics to ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’
Manoogian simply applied online one day when he saw casting applications were open for “Shark Tank. He couldn’t tell the Star-Telegram much about the interview process because he signed several non-disclosure agreements.
When he and Gonzales got accepted to film for the show, they weren’t sure if they would get a deal, or if their bit would make the cut. In fact, they only found out two weeks before the episode air date that they would be on TV.
And even better, they struck a deal with O’Leary (known as Mr. Wonderful), the shark they were aiming to please.
“Kevin has the biggest social media following out of all the sharks that were there, and he’s grown a lot of brands on Amazon and in the athletic space,” Manoogian told the Star-Telegram. “He’s probably the most respected shark on that show.”
Mr. Wonderful loved the Horned Frog’s ‘Shark Tank’ pitch
They entered the tank asking for $50,000 with five percent equity.
Guest shark Rashaun Williams strapped on his court shoes, wiped them on their mini mat and stomped onto their court. “Oh wow, that works,” he said as his feet stuck to the ground and the rest of his body wiggled.
Other sharks, like Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran, were hesitant to make an offer due to the product’s niche business. Mangoogian told them that the market includes more than 30 million basketball participants, and 20 million volleyball players. That means this product applies to more than 100 million feet.
“I think it’s so niche, so vertical, so unusual, so Shark Tank-ish,” said O’Leary, “So here’s an idea, I’ll give you the $50,000 for 15 percent, no royalty, no anything. I don’t know what’s going to happen, this is a total flier, guys.”
Mr. Wonderful’s offer was the only offer Manoogian and Gonzales got. So after some short deliberation, they looked over and told O’Leary, “You’ve got a deal.”
The ‘Shark Tank’ impact on STOMP Athletics
Manoogian says this deal will help STOMP Athletics make it into more retailers and hopefully score larger deals with other corporations.
Currently, STOMP Mats and Shoe Armors are sold on BSN Sports, Amazon and STOMP Athletic’s website. They hope to one day make it into larger distributors like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Big 5.
The product is already used in NBA practice facilities and was used during the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. And while the product can be used largely by teams, it’s also made for individuals to carry in their practice backpack and use, wherever, whenever.
To watch the Shark Tank episode featuring STOMP Athletics, visit ABC’s website or Hulu to find season 17, episode 17. Gonzales and Manoogian’s pitch is the final pitch of the episode.
This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 4:52 PM.