news blog

Thousands of people experienced the emerging sport of water skyball at Lake Balaton in Hungary over summer, thanks to two sets of Packaworld’s water skyball goals and fields that created an aquatic-sport playground for beachgoers.

The portable Water Skyball Packagoals and fields were used at the popular Alsoors Beach during the peak summer period of late June to early September.

Water Skyball Federation Vice President Olga Augusztin said the experience was an instant hit with curious people looking for a new way to cool off and enjoy some exercise.

“The field was there for everyone, so people came, played water skyball or just practised shooting at the goals. It was used all day because people were hungry to play something in the water.”

When Greg Travers decided to set up Vino Bocce to roll out bocce ball sessions at wineries across California’s Napa Valley and Sonoma counties, he knew portable Packabocce courts would provide the perfect stage.

“The plan is simple – bring bocce to wineries. The Packaworld courts are perfect.”

Kicking off earlier this month with an event at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in Sonoma, Vino Bocce is now hosting occasions offering everything from bocce lessons and clinics to mix-and-mingle meet-ups and corporate functions, pairing wine appreciation with bocce fun.

Travers is a former commissioner of one of America’s largest bocce clubs – the Martinez Bocce Federation – and he said the response from its 2,400 members had been “100% positive”.

Dozens more social bocce leagues have sprung up across the USA in recent years, fuelled by a new generation of players, portable bocce courts, and the kind of raw enthusiasm only the American Bocce Company (ABC) can provide.

Traditionally enjoyed by a more mature audience, bocce has captured the imagination of younger generations over the past decade, with participation numbers now reaching all-time highs.

ABC co-founder Alex Gara said ABC had recorded a 1,000% growth in players in its social bocce leagues since 2015 and numbers today were 40% higher than the previous peak in 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic.

A bright idea from a bocce lover in the remote Canadian town of Killarney has transformed its community centre’s curling rink into a hot new venue for summer bocce.

The transformation has been made possible through the purchase of two of Packaworld’s portable bocce courts, which take centre stage on Tuesdays for a social league being run by the local council during curling’s off-season.

Municipality of Killarney Project Coordinator Sanket Shinde said bringing the traditional Italian sport to the area was part of the municipality’s goal of improving community wellbeing and social engagement through recreation.

Although Killarney had a population of less than 500, locals deserved the same kinds of opportunities to enjoy physical activity as people in larger localities, he said.

Bringing bocce ball to your next social event, team building day or festival can pump up the fun levels and add an extra dimension that brings people together and unites them in the joy of sport.

Packaworld’s high-quality inflatable Packabocce courts come in three sizes – Competition, Recreation and Mini – making it easy for event organisers and venue hosts to bring the game.

This month we explore five ways you can incorporate bocce ball into your events to make them as memorable as possible.

Read on to gain some inspiration for bringing bocce ball to your next event.

Bigger, better and more ballsy than ever – bocce looks set to continue its meteoric rise in 2024.

The social and highly accessible sport has picked up where it left off before Covid and is now being played by more people and in entirely new locations.

From more unified sport on portable courts in US schools to bocce broadcasts and Olympic aspirations, we’ve taken a look at where bocce is headed this year.

Read our latest feature article exploring how far bocce has come, what the major trends are for the year ahead and where the game might be headed.

Bocce is going places.