Wilson Sporting Goods Co. and the National Football League (NFL) have renewed and extended their contract, naming Wilson again as the official football of the league, a partnership that has continued since 1941.
As part of the multi-year extension, Wilson debuted its new factory in Ada, OH, where it manufactures genuine Wilson footballs, which are now the official football of the NFL’s international Flag programs, continuing Wilson and the NFL’s mission to grow American football across various demographics and countries.
“Wilson and the NFL are one of the most iconic relationships in sports, dating back over 80 years,” said Kevin Murphy, global general manager of Team Sports, Wilson Sporting Goods. “Since then, Wilson has been part of every snap, pass and touchdown in NFL history. We are thrilled to build upon this partnership as we continue to work with the league on growing the game globally and open opportunities for everyone to be part of the sport.”
Every Wilson NFL game football, dubbed “The Duke,” has been handcrafted at Wilson’s facilities in Ada, OH, through a 20-step process. Wilson’s football factory is the world’s oldest factory, producing only game-ready leather footballs. Wilson debuted its new and improved football factory, nearly doubling the capacity of the previous plant.
Wilson said the new factory “gives the true craftsmen and craftswomen in Ada, who craft each football by hand, more space to continue their game-changing work and the opportunity for Wilson to continue innovating, designing and offering the top product in sport.”
“The NFL’s time-honored partnership with Wilson Sporting Goods Co. is integral to our past, present and future, with ‘The Duke’ at the forefront of every NFL game played since 1941,” said Ryan Samuelson, vice president of consumer products at the NFL. “Renewing and expanding our relationship with a partner so ingrained into our culture is paramount for the league to continue to grow the game and the opening of the new football factory is a testament to Wilson’s commitment to NFL football.”
The factory generates products from youth to pro, making game footballs for the NFL season, including every Super Bowl and Pro Bowl, as well as youth, high school and college play.
The new facility includes a football museum celebrating iconic Wilson and NFL moments, a pop-up shop and manufacturing tours. Tours can be reserved online starting in July with a percentage of ticket proceeds being donated to youth sports groups in the greater Ohio area. The upgraded facility is also home to product testing, ball customization and Wilson’s game-ready product break-in process.
NFL Flag, the official flag football program of the NFL, brings the non-contact version of football to young athletes and is across 12 markets globally. Fast, highly accessible and inclusive, flag football is spearheading growth in participation, reportedly “played by over 20 million people across 100 countries, with women and girls driving some of the sport’s fastest growth.”
In collaboration with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the NFL said it is investing in the development and growth of flag football at grassroots and elite levels across the world. Wilson footballs are now the official football of the NFL’s international Flag program.
Images courtesy Wilson Sporting Goods
