Wilson brings their football craftsmanship from Ohio to Las Vegas for Toyota’s Super Bowl experience
By Faith Pinnow, WEBN Correspondent
LAS VEGAS – The Super Bowl Experience, an immersive fan event that features interactive games and displays centered around the big game, kicks off on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
Since 1941, Wilson has supplied the official football for the NFL. And every Super Bowl – 58 and counting – has been played with a Wilson football.
This year at the event, fans get the opportunity to peak behind the curtain and see how Wilson makes “The Duke,” the official Super Bowl football. From the four panels of leather to the 250 stitches required to hold it all together, there are more than 25 steps involved.
Andy Wentling, plant manager at the Wilson factory in Ada, Ohio, says the process of making the game ball every year is special to him.
“I always get goosebumps when I talk about that,” Wentling said. “It means so much to us – That craftsmanship and that pride about making the game ball.”
This year, fans participating in Toyota’s Super Bowl Experience event have the opportunity to go home with their own game ball. Members from Wentling’s team in Ada have flown to Las Vegas to hand-stitch custom Wilson balls.
“We’ve got carcasses here, so they’ll sew those halves into fulls, we’ll turn those, and they’ll lace them,” Wentling said, describing how his team will make the footballs in the convention center.
Nicki Ewell, Senior Director of Events for the NFL, said that Wilson is an iconic brand associated with the big game and that this year attendees will have the chance to go home with an extra special memento.
“Wilson football factory is a fan favorite here. You can get a customized ‘Duke’ football, you can get your name on it,” Ewell said.
Ewell said she’s already added three new Wilson footballs to her collection in honor of Super Bowl LVIII. “I have a chrome one, I have a black one, and I have a ‘Duke’,” she said with a smile. “I always have a ball for the year!”
Fans can visit the Wilson booth from Wednesday to Saturday to see the craftsmanship in action.