"The Duke" is the name of the
NFL
football .
Wilson has produced it since 1941 and is the longest collaboration in the history of American sports.
More than 700,000 units are made by hand each year.
This Sunday he will be the weapon of
Patrick Mahomes
and
Brock Purdy
in
Super Bowl LVIII
in
Las Vegas
.
The ball is produced by hand at Wilson's factory in Ada, Ohio, at a rate of up to 2,500 units per day.
His name, 'The Duke', honors one of the most representative figures in NFL history and former owner of the New York Giants,
Wellington Mara
.
The manager was nicknamed 'The Duke' because he had the name Wellington, like the famous Duke, according to the company.
The American brand, whose headquarters are in Chicago, started construction of a new ultra-modern factory in Ada last year for the production of 'The Duke'.
The retail prices of the balls range between $45 and $249 for a special edition made on the occasion of the grand final in Las Vegas.
Official balls are made by hand with a five-step process that involves more than
twenty
workers.
Patrick Mahomes, one of those who treat The Duke best.
Photo: AFP.
The American brand's specialists cut the leather into four parts and sew the pieces together before turning them inside out with the help of a steam machine to soften the material.
Then, the air chamber is inserted and the ball is closed with white laces.
Finally, the ovoid is inflated and molded to the ideal shape.
The firm produces up to
2,500 balls per day and more than 700,000 per year
, according to data published by the Chicago company.
To face the great demand, the company started work in 2023 to build a new factory in Ada that will occupy an area of 80,000 square feet (7.4 square kilometers) and that should be ready in May of this year, the brand reports.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco quarterback.
Photo: EFE/EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO.
On the occasion of the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium, Wilson made
special editions of the ball
that include the logo of the Las Vegas grand final and the names of the two teams.
Fans can choose from three versions: one for the Chiefs, one for the 49ers and one with the names of both franchises.
The price?
$249.95, taxes excluded.
It is a collector's item that, however, will not be the authentic one used on Sunday in Las Vegas.
The company highlights that it is "the closest thing to the official ball that a fan can get."
The Super Bowl numbers in Las Vegas
The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will meet on Sunday in the 58th edition of the Super Bowl, organized at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with capacity for 65,000 spectators.
Although ticket prices have dropped up to 15% in the last week, the cheapest ticket to Allegiant Stadium was selling last Wednesday for
more than $6,500
on the online sales platform
TicketSmarter
.
On
VividSeats
, another online sales app, tickets ranged in price from $5,700 to $29,000 for a second-row seat.
Messi will be in a Super Bowl ad.
Photo: Michelob Ultra via AP.
The thirty-second ads during the game are the most expensive in history, with a price estimated by the 'CBS' network at
seven million dollars
.
Among the protagonists this year will be the Argentine Lionel Messi, David and Victoria Beckham, as well as Tom Brady and Anthony Hopkins.
Source: EFE