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Wilson Making Official NFL Footballs In New York During Draft Week

By Bruce Raffel
Wilson Commemorative NFL Draft Football
Wilson Commemorative NFL Draft Football

Wilson has been making the official footballs for the NFL since 1941, in Ada, Ohio. However, during this week of the 2012 NFL Draft, they will be manufacturing them at the NFL Shop set up in Times Square, in the middle of New York City. At the world's only dedicated football factory, Wilson's 120 employees churns out 3,000 footballs every day and over 700,000 game balls a year.

At the NFL Shop in Times Square, not only will fans be able to purchase footballs with their favorite team's logo on it, but they will also be able to customize them with their own name, signature and team logo on regular season game balls, Commemorative Draft balls and Super Bowl game balls - all on site.

Wilson sent me over this one Commemorative Draft ball, which will be used as the grand prize in Baltimore Beatdown's NFL Draft Contest.

(Click on the 'Jump' to read NFL Fun Facts regarding footballs in the NFL produced by Wilson since 1941)

Wilson, The NFL and Ada, Ohio Fun Facts

  • Number of football-only factories in the United States: 1

  • Number of Wilson football-only factories in world: 1

  • First year Wilson began making the Official NFL Game Ball: 1941

  • First year that the Wilson Factory in Ada, Ohio, began producing Official NFL Footballs: 1955

  • Total number of footballs produced annually at the Ada Football Factory: 700,000

  • Total number of workers employed by the Wilson football factory in Ada, Ohio: 120

  • Average number of years employed by Wilson for Ada Football Factory workers: 20

  • Average number of footballs made by a single cowhide: 10

  • Pounds of air pressure in an NFL game ball: 13 psi

  • Number of laces found on an NFL game ball: 1

  • Total number of lace holes on an NFL game ball: 16

  • Total number of panels on an NFL game ball: 4

  • Difference between the regular NFL game ball and NFL kicker ball: Letter "K" is inscribed on the kicker ball, sealed in boxes (with anti-tampering tape), sent to the NFL official hotel one week before the game and then delivered to the officials’ room approximately 2.5 hours prior to kickoff.

  • The special "watermark" that is printed on a Wilson football to prove that it is authentic: The letter "W"

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