This is Ropeball !
Our History
Ropeball® originated in the mid-1980s along the Saco River in Maine, where cousins, relatives, and friends spent summers camping, gathering around campfires, and inventing competitive outdoor games. With just one rusty trashcan, a giant nautical rope strung between two trees, and a well-worn softball, a simple backyard game emerged. As the summers by the Saco came to an end, the game faded into memory. Nearly 40 years later, Ropeball® was revived and transformed into the modern beach game it is known for today — combining offense, defense, teamwork, strategy, and nonstop action into a fast-paced outdoor experience designed for beaches, parks, tailgates, campsites, and backyard competition. From its campfire nostalgia to a fully trademarked outdoor sports game, Ropeball® showcases how the best summer games can endure the test of time. Now, anyone can play Ropeball, bringing a piece of its rich Ropeball history back to life.
Summer 2026
We’re excited to bring Ropeball® to beaches, waterfronts, festivals, tournaments, tailgates, and summer events throughout New England and beyond. Inspired by the competitive energy of games like Cornhole, Spikeball, KanJam, and BucketGolf, Ropeball® is a unique backyard game that combines fast-paced action, teamwork, offense and defense, and target-game strategy. It’s the ultimate beach game and Yard game for summer fun! Discover the history of Ropeball and join us at events like RopeballSummer 2026, Duxbury Greet Summer Fest, the Philadelphia World Cup Match, Championship Boys Soccer Camp in Duxbury, Mass, Brown's Bank in Plymouth, Mass, and the Viking Cornhole Tournament in Kingston, Mass. Next stop!
How to play
Ropeball® is an exciting beach game and backyard game that merges throwing, blocking, teamwork, and target scoring into one competitive outdoor experience. Ideally, players can enjoy Ropeball® in teams of two, but it also accommodates 1 vs 1, 3 vs 3, or larger group variations, making it perfect for beaches, parks, tailgates, campsites, and backyard parties. To play Ropeball® is simple: throw balls over the rope and past the defender into one of the buckets to score points. Players can customize their points system based on their skill levels, but here’s the basic rundown. Offensive players (throwers) aim to throw official Ropeball® balls over the rope while targeting the scoring buckets located on the opposite side of the court, typically from about 15–25 feet away, depending on factors like age and style of play. Defenders, positioned near the rope alongside the throwers, try to block incoming shots by jumping, swatting, and redirecting balls before they cross the rope. Successful blocks earn points for defenders, while offensive players score by landing Ropeballs® into the buckets for 1 or 2 points, depending on the gameplay rules and tournament format. Combining elements of volleyball-style defense, backyard target games, and competitive beach play, Ropeball® offers nonstop action, strategy, athleticism, and fun for players of all skill levels. Plus, enthusiasts often discuss Ropeball history, highlighting its unique blend of different sports, making it a favorite among outdoor games.
AVAILABLE NOW : Official Ropeball Kit
