Former NFL Player Claims He Was Down Bad And In Despair After Trash Shark Tank Deal

Many entrepreneurs hail the business reality television series Shark Tank as a golden ticket to achieving the American dream.

That dream was short-lived for Al “Bubba” Baker, a former NFL player. The creator of Bubba’s Q Boneless and Baby Back Ribs revealed that the deal he made with Shark Tank investor Daymond John turned out to be a “nightmare.”

Baker and his daughter, Brittani Bo Baker, who appeared on the show with her father, revealed to the Los Angeles Times they received $553.35 in profit from January to March of this year. However, Brittani said they were left in the dark when it came to finances. A 2019 lawsuit filed by Rastelli—a manufacturer John recommended—was filed in response to the Bakers putting a hold on dealings until accounting issues were settled, leaving the Bakers with $171,000 to pay in attorney fees.

The Bakers said the business had earned $16 million in revenue after the first three years. According to their interview with the Los Angeles Times, the father-daughter duo claimed they pocketed just 4% of that money. Baker’s daughter said in a video on social media, “The day after airing, we had to refund over $30,000 worth of sauces.” Brittani said John put the Bakers in contact with Nate Holzapfel, a former Shark Tank contestant and inventor of the Mission Belt, to set up a website where people could purchase the product after the show aired. The refunds were a result of Holzapfel not setting up “sales taxes on the sauces,” according to Brittani.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Baker also said that John changed the offer he initially agreed to on camera. John allegedly called after the show, offered $200,000 less than his initial offer, and asked for a 35% stake. The episode showed the Bakers accepting the original agreement of $300,000 for a 30% stake.

Brittani revealed the losses she and her father have allegedly suffered throughout their dealings with John, including losing their family home, savings, and control over the business.

John responded to the family’s claims in a video. He noted that he chose not to send a cease and desist because he had hoped “the truth would come out.”