making an official game ball
See the process of how game balls are produced in the NFL as the Roar goes behind
the scenes at the Wilson Sporting Goods football factory in Ada, Ohio on Jan. 25, 2010
as they make the official gameball for Super Bowl XLIV. Wilson has been making the
official game ball since the first Super Bowl in 1996.
Michelle Burkett cuts a sheet of
leather into four panels to make
the official NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
Melissa Putman snips threads
from the stitched lining of panels
to be made into the official balls
for the NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
Quality control expert Pam Clark
shows off the four cut leather
panels to be used in the making of
one of the official balls.
Jane Helser sews together the
full ball in the process of making
the official game balls for the NFL
Super Bowl XLIV.
Glenn Hanson sews together the
full ball in the process of making
the official game balls for the NFL
Super Bowl XLIV. Hanson has been
doing the stitching of the official
balls for 37 years and is planning
on retiring before next year’s
Super Bowl is played.
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5
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Quality control expert Pam Clark
reaches for one of the unfinished
official game balls for the NFL
Super Bowl XLIV.
24 / www.panthers.com
25
Christina Gatchell laces the official
game balls for the NFL Super Bowl
XLIV.
Percise lace tension goes into
every NFL Super Bowl XLIV game
ball to ensure perfect balance and
accuracy.
Sue Nichols laces the official game
balls for the NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
13
Inspector Micki Adams measures
one of the official game balls.
The game balls must all measure
28 inches end to end, 21 inches
around the middle, and weigh
between 14 and 15 ounces.
Precision stitching and technique
requires years of experience for a
consistently perfect fit.
Emmitt Lawrence turns the official
game balls for the NFL Super Bowl
XLIV from inside out to right side
out.
Wava Howard stitches the official
balls for the NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
6
7
8
14
Inspector Micki Adams weighs one
of the official game balls for the
NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
15
Final inspectors, from left, Micki
Adams, Barb Harnishfeger, and
June Hamilton, inspect the official
game balls. The three women will
choose the balls that will be used
during the actual Super Bowl. The
factory began making the game
balls Sunday night immediately
after the conclusion of the NFC and
AFC championship games. Adams
said that in choosing the game
balls, they look for tight strings,
lots of pebble on the surface,
perfect stitching and printing, and
“They just have to feel right.”
16
Footballs selected as actual official
game balls for the NFL Super Bowl
XLIV sit in a bin awaiting shipment
to Miami.
CAROLINA PANTHERS V.12.1 / 25
making an official game ball
See the process of how game balls are produced in the NFL as the Roar goes behind
the scenes at the Wilson Sporting Goods football factory in Ada, Ohio on Jan. 25, 2010
as they make the official gameball for Super Bowl XLIV. Wilson has been making the
official game ball since the first Super Bowl in 1996.
Michelle Burkett cuts a sheet of
leather into four panels to make
the official NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
Melissa Putman snips threads
from the stitched lining of panels
to be made into the official balls
for the NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
Quality control expert Pam Clark
shows off the four cut leather
panels to be used in the making of
one of the official balls.
Jane Helser sews together the
full ball in the process of making
the official game balls for the NFL
Super Bowl XLIV.
Glenn Hanson sews together the
full ball in the process of making
the official game balls for the NFL
Super Bowl XLIV. Hanson has been
doing the stitching of the official
balls for 37 years and is planning
on retiring before next year’s
Super Bowl is played.
1
2
3
4
5
9
10
11
12
Quality control expert Pam Clark
reaches for one of the unfinished
official game balls for the NFL
Super Bowl XLIV.
24 / www.panthers.com
25
Christina Gatchell laces the official
game balls for the NFL Super Bowl
XLIV.
Percise lace tension goes into
every NFL Super Bowl XLIV game
ball to ensure perfect balance and
accuracy.
Sue Nichols laces the official game
balls for the NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
13
Inspector Micki Adams measures
one of the official game balls.
The game balls must all measure
28 inches end to end, 21 inches
around the middle, and weigh
between 14 and 15 ounces.
Precision stitching and technique
requires years of experience for a
consistently perfect fit.
Emmitt Lawrence turns the official
game balls for the NFL Super Bowl
XLIV from inside out to right side
out.
Wava Howard stitches the official
balls for the NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
6
7
8
14
Inspector Micki Adams weighs one
of the official game balls for the
NFL Super Bowl XLIV.
15
Final inspectors, from left, Micki
Adams, Barb Harnishfeger, and
June Hamilton, inspect the official
game balls. The three women will
choose the balls that will be used
during the actual Super Bowl. The
factory began making the game
balls Sunday night immediately
after the conclusion of the NFC and
AFC championship games. Adams
said that in choosing the game
balls, they look for tight strings,
lots of pebble on the surface,
perfect stitching and printing, and
“They just have to feel right.”
16
Footballs selected as actual official
game balls for the NFL Super Bowl
XLIV sit in a bin awaiting shipment
to Miami.
CAROLINA PANTHERS V.12.1 / 25