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Inside Wilson Factory: Crafting 20,000 NFL Footballs Annually

9/5/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Wilson Football Factory in Ada, Ohio, produces nearly 20,000 NFL footballs annually.
Established in 1938, it became the official NFL football producer in 1941 after Wilson's acquisition in 1955.
Tours of the 80,000-square-foot facility highlight the football-making process.
Leather sourced from Horween Tannery yields 10-14 balls per hide, which are hand-laced and inflated to 13 psi.
"The Duke," the official NFL ball, honors Wellington Mara, son of Giants' founder Tim Mara.

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Story summary

The Wilson Football Factory in Ada, Ohio, produces nearly 20,000 NFL footballs annually.
Established in 1938, it became the official NFL football producer in 1941 after Wilson's acquisition in 1955.
Tours of the 80,000-square-foot facility highlight the football-making process.
Leather sourced from Horween Tannery yields 10-14 balls per hide, which are hand-laced and inflated to 13 psi.
"The Duke," the official NFL ball, honors Wellington Mara, son of Giants' founder Tim Mara.