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Buckeye Beat: Super Bowl Game Balls

OVER THE YEARS, TRADITIONS SURROUNDING THE GAME HAVE POPPED UP – TODAY’S SUPER BOWL FEATURES AN ELABORATE HALFTIME PERFORMANCE AND BIG BUDGET COMMERCIALS THAT SOMETIMES GET MORE ATTENTION THAN THE GAME ITSELF! BUT ONE TRADITION THAT’S STAYED THE SAME: THE GAME BALL.

THE PIGSKIN TOSSED AROUND ON THE BIG DAY HAS ALWAYS COME FROM THE SAME SMALL OHIO TOWN. IN THIS WEEK’S BUCKEYE BEAT, WE TAKE A TRIP THERE AS THEY PREPARE TO CELEBRATE THEIR SUPER-SIZED ROLE EVERY SUPER BOWL SUNDAY.

 ADA, OHIO, IS A SLEEPY TOWN OF 58-HUNDRED, AND IT'S KNOWN FOR TWO THINGS.
OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY GOING BACK TO 18-71,
Nat Sound:
AND IT'S WHERE WILSON SPORTING GOODS HAS MADE THE N-F-L FOOTBALL SINCE 19-55, AND EVERY ONE OF 51 SUPER BOWLS SINCE AND COUNTING.
SATURDAY NIGHT, THEY'RE PLANNING A WILSON FOOTBALL FESTIVAL DOWNTOWN,
HOPING TO DRAW FAMILIES TO CELEBRATE THE COMPANY THAT'S PROVIDED CAREERS TO SO MANY.
THEY'LL HAVE A FOOTBALL MOVIE, SHOWING "FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS".
AT OHIO NORTHERN, A GATHERING TO SHOW AND TALK ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS.
Dan Cummins:
"There will be music and family entertainment. And you know how on New Year's Eve, they drop a walleye in Port Clinton? Well on Super Bowl Eve, Ada is going to drop a Wilson Football. Not this football. That football!"
Dan Riegle:
"I think we're the second largest employer in Ada behind Ohio Northern. And the people obviously are all within 15, 20 miles of here. So they know the community, they cash their checks here, they spend their money here, and this is just a sense of pride for both parties."
Nat Sound:
Chris Burns DiBlasio:
"We are the only place in the United States that a professional ball is made. All the other balls in professional sports are made offshore. This is about small town, this is about Main Street, it's about made in America."
Nat Sound


Instructional Links


Newspaper Article: The Toledo Blade, Little NW Ohio Town Has Big Role in Super Bowl, Jan.23, 2017

Video: YouTube, Wilson Football Factory | How a football is made.