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American Football

What ball will they use at the Super Bowl? What is the ball played in the NFL made out of?

What ball will they use at the Super Bowl? What is the ball played in the NFL made out of?Getty
DAZN answers this question.

Since being first played in the early 1900s, American Football has been subject to numerous changes throughout the years.

None more so than the ball which has gone through various transformations when it comes to what materials it is made out of. 

DAZN reveals what ball will be played with at Super Bowl LVIII and what the current iteration of football is made out of. 

What is a football made out of? 

The balls used in today's NFL are made out of a synthetic rubber bladder and a leather casing. 

However, the earliest form of football was actually made out of inflated pig bladders which were a similar shape to a soccer ball as they were easy to hold and inflate. 

These early footballs were then covered in leather to resemble what has come to be known as a football today in order for it to be successfully thrown forward by quarterbacks. 

How big is an NFL football? 

The dimensions of a football used in an NFL game - and the Super Bown final - can be found below. 

  • Weight: 14-15 ounces
  • Long circumference: 28 inches
  • Short circumference: 21.5 inches

The NFL's footballs are made by Wilson who have been the league's official game ball supplier since 1941, something which the company are extremely proud of. 

Andy Wentling, Wilson Factory Plant Manager, told KRCGTV:  "Nobody else can do this, we’re here at midnight standing in the factory with the lights on, three blocks off of main street and nobody knows we’re here but we’re cranking out Super Bowl footballs so it’s a great honor to do that for the league." 

The ball is slightly larger compared to the one used in college games, but the difference is not drastic. 

The modern football made by Wilson is usually stretched out, laced up and hand stuffed for each game. 

You can watch Super Bowl 58 live on DAZN with NFL Game Pass (except US and China). Click here for details.

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