• by Teresa Buyikian , March 13, 2025

As the ready to drink category continues to grow in the U.S., there has been one brand baller that has been winning at the RTD game since its launch. BuzzBalls, the handheld, easily portable, round plastic orb that contains a broad range of juice and spirit flavors such as Tequila ‘Rita, Berry Cherry Limeade and Lotta Colada, has since been the top-selling single serve premixed cocktail brand in the U.S. since 1991.

The brand has now announced it has “Big Blue BBallz,” and they’re available for purchase for March Madness.

To be clear, there’s nothing profane about these Ballz (but the brand isn’t exactly shying away from the joke). The Big Blue BBallz are actually regulation size blue basketball vessels, identical to an actual basketball in all ways except for one thing: these Ballz can hold and dispense up to 17 regular-sized single-serving BuzzBalls.

The brand has teamed up with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls Point Guard Lonzo Ball to help promote the BBallz, highlighting that “fans can watch Lonzo show off the impressive size of his… Big Blue BBallz” via following the brand and Ball on social media.

“The inspiration came from the excitement around the Berry Cherry Limeade flavor, which became the fastest-selling BuzzBallz flavor ever,” BuzzBallz vice president at Sazerac, Jess Scheerhorn, told Marketing Daily. “And with the timing lining up right with a certain March tournament, we knew we had to create something that matched the energy of the moment. When fans started calling them ‘blue ballz,’ we took that and ran with it! It was all about bringing the fun and boldness of the season to life in the most over-the-top way possible.”

Ball will also be featured in additional basketball-centric Berry Cherry Limeade creative and supporting media across the basketball podcasts on Spotify, Mismatch and Ringer, as well as premium YouTube inventory and disruptive 3D OOH in key markets, said Scheerhorn.

Customers can purchase the limited edition Big Blue BBallz for $20 (alcohol sold separately) beginning March 16, just ahead of the start of March Madness, on the brand’s website.

Asked if consumers can expect more Ballz in the future, Scheerhorn said, “At BuzzBallz, we never say never. Balls come in all shapes and sizes, both in sports and beyond. If the right moment comes along, we’re always up for making something wild happen. You never know what kind of epic ball we might drop next!”