Bubble-soccer phenom is blowing up in Las Vegas

Special to the Sun/Stephen Sylvanie

A striker frantically runs toward the ball, eyeing the wide-open goal. But just before he connects, a defender barrels into him, sending him flipping head over heels.

In traditional soccer, that’s a red card and dismissal from the game for the defender, and a free kick for the striker’s team. In bubble soccer, it’s just good defense.

Bubble soccer, so named because players’ torsos are encased in giant inflatable balls, is quickly growing in popularity in the United States. Some call it Knockerball, because the extra padding quickly transforms “the beautiful game” into a crash-test derby.

“As long as you’re wearing the equipment properly, you are literally in a bubble, so it’s incredibly safe,” said Karli Johnson, who along with her husband, Blake, runs Las Vegas Bubble Rentals.

A game starts similarly to dodgeball, with the ball placed in the center of the field and players dashing toward it. They clash in the middle.

Although it can be played outdoors on soccer fields, many bubble-soccer leagues here play indoors on basketball courts to avoid the blistering summer heat.

“It’s really hot in the summer and it gets tiring,” Blake Johnson said of carrying the bubbles. “They weigh about 25 to 30 pounds each, so it depends on how in-shape you are, but it’s also more difficult to breathe inside it because it’s a confined space.”

The bubbles are secured with backpack-like straps worn around players’ shoulders. Teams are made up of five players each — two defenders, a center, a left wing and a right wing — with two substitutes.

The rules are similar to soccer, but there is no offside, and games are two five-minute halves. Because players’ hands are inside the bubbles, throw-ins are replaced with kick-ins, and if the game is tied after regulation, there is sudden death, one-on-one overtime.

Bubble soccer was invented in Norway by Henrik Elvestad and Johan Golden, and became popular in the United Kingdom before making its way to the U.S. in 2014. Now, there are organizations across the country such as Knockerball, Bubble Soccer U.S.A., and the U.S. Bubble Soccer Association.

Competitive leagues have formed, but the vast majority of bubble soccer being played is through rentals.

“We rent them for a lot of adult functions, but also a lot of graduation parties for teenagers,” Karli Johnson said. “We also have a lot of family reunions and team-building exercises for companies.”

There are numerous rental companies in the Las Vegas area. Some rent the bubbles by the hour and send employees to help organize and referee the game, while others take a more hands-off approach. Bubbles cost $15-$30 daily for adults.

“We know that if you plan the event, rarely do people come on time,” said Karli Johnson, who allows people to keep the bubbles overnight and return them when they’re finished. “So you don’t want to pay for something for two hours and have people show up for the last 45 minutes.”

Some customers don’t even play soccer.

“Most people say that the most fun they have is when they don’t even get the soccer ball out,” Blake Johnson said. “They just hit each other.”

There are other variations of the game: “last bubble standing,” where players’ only goal is to knock each other over, and “bubble bowling,” where one player is the bowling ball and tries to knock over the other players.

Whether players want to really compete in soccer games or just send family members and co-workers tumbling, bubble soccer welcomes all comers.

“It’s so much fun,” said Blake Johnson, who had never tried the game before starting the business. “I get my dad and brothers in there and get to take some anger and frustration out.”

WHERE TO RENT

• Las Vegas Bubble Rentals , 702-706-5238, 7881 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 220, Las Vegas

— Adult-size bubble: $30 per day ($17 in summer)

— Child-size bubble: $25 per day ($15 in summer)

• Knockerball Las Vegas , 702-525-6924

— 1.5 hour rental (30-minute setup and 1 hour of play):

6 bubbles: $250

8 bubbles: $300

10 bubbles: $350

— 2.5 hour rental (30-minute setup and 2 hours of play):

6 bubbles: $400

8 bubbles: $500

• Bubble Soccer USA , 323-251-0288

— 10 bubbles:

1 hour: $300

1.5 hours: $400

2.5 hours: $500

5 hours: $750

• Bumper Balls Las Vegas , 323-251-0288

— 10 bubbles

1 hour, plus setup/breakdown and referee, $300

1.5 hours, plus setup/breakdown and referee, $425

2 hours, plus setup/breakdown and referee, $550

WHERE TO BUY

• Knockerball, 702-525-6924, $230-$320 per bubble