The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has selected Spalding, a division of Russell Brands, LLC, and the worlds largest basketball equipment supplier, as the official ball for five of its premier sports starting July 2013.
The five-year partnership names Spalding as the ‘Official Ball of NJCAA baseball, mens basketball, womens basketball and football. In addition, Spaldings softball brand-Dudley®-will stay on as the official ball of NJCAA softball.
By partnering with Spalding, we are ensuring our member colleges and their student-athletes are playing with the best on-field equipment and reinforcing our goal of promoting two-year college athletics on a national level, said Mary Ellen Leicht, Executive Director of the NJCAA. With nearly 60,000 student-athletes competing in the NJCAA, this partnership is a great step forward for our membership.
The NJCAA is one of the largest intercollegiate sports organizations in the United States, second only to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The equipment provided by Spalding is manufactured with premium leather or composite materials developed for improved on-field performance in each sport. The TF-SB1 football, for example, is constructed of exclusive Horween S tack leather for improved grip and spiral balance technology for increased passing accuracy.
This partnership allows us to provide the NJCAAs talented student-athletes with the best equipment possible, while strengthening our presence in collegiate athletics, said Paul Sullivan, Senior Vice President for Spalding.
Under the terms of the agreement, Spalding and Dudley will be the Official Ball of NJCAA baseball, mens and womens basketball, football and softball until June 2018. In a unique aspect of the agreement, member institutions will be able to order equipment directly on the NJCAA website while continuing to maintain their business relationship with their local team dealers.
