Employees at the Wilson Sporting Goods football factory sprang into action as soon as the opponent for this year’s Super Bowl was announced.
Every NFL club, as well as many of the best high schools and college programs in the country, use the game balls produced at the facility in the small Ohio town of Ada.
However, it’s all about the Super Bowl this time of year. On February 9 in New Orleans, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City will play for the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in three years.
At the Wilson Sporting Goods football plant in Ada, Ohio, on Monday, January 27, 2025, a worker operates a machine that shapes the material into the shape of a football in preparation for the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl game. (Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos/AP Photo)Photo by Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos/AP
Here is a numerical analysis of the footballs:
How many balls are made for the big game?
A shipment of 108 will be sent to each of the two teams, along with an additional dozen for the kickers. Each shipment will be stamped with the club names and the Super Bowl logo. The quarterbacks will save aside the best balls, while some will be used for practice. Each squad will have roughly fifty of those packed and stored until kickoff.
How are NFL footballs different from other footballs?
Wilson produces five sizes for athletes in minor leagues and the professional ranks. Others have distinct patterns. One distinctive feature of NFL balls is that they don’t have stripes on the ends. Additionally, they have a chip inserted in them that tracks the ball’s trajectory, distance traveled, and position on the field.
How long does it take to make a football?
Typically, the entire process takes three days. However, in order to give the Super Bowl teams enough time to break in the footballs for practice and the game, the first batch of footballs must be shipped to them Monday, within roughly eighteen hours. For this reason, on the evening of the conference championship games, the workers immediately begin production.
How are they made?
From cutting out the four leather panels that are sewed together with 250 stitches to putting in the laces, there are 20 steps in all, the most of which are done by hand. The most skilled and experienced workers in the factory do the work for NFL footballs. According to Wilson Team Sports general manager Kevin Murphy, several steps in the process call for a handmade feel. It’s similar to creating an exquisitely crafted pair of shoes.
How do they become game ready?
The balls are weighed, measured, and examined for defects during manufacture. When they were done, they were scrutinized once more. Approximately fifty individuals will have handled each one by the time it is packaged and prepared for shipment.
On Monday, January 27, 2025, in Ada, Ohio, a piece of a football for the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl game rests on a machine at the Wilson Sporting Goods football factory.Photo by Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos/AP
How many does the factory normally produce?
It produces about 2,500 footballs every day, or about 500,000 footballs annually. During a season, NFL teams go through several hundred. Wilson will produce 10,000–20,000 commemorative balls for the Super Bowl, which will be offered for sale at the event site and at merchants across the country. The facility will continue to produce the souvenir balls long after there is a great demand.
How long has Wilson made footballs for the NFL?
Wilson has manufactured all of the league’s footballs since 1941. Since 1955, the official game balls have been manufactured in its Ada plant. In order to increase production and create a museum, the corporation established a new plant in the village this year. The factory is open for tours by fans.
— AP’s John Seewer
