Best Ball Ever?

If you’ve been following the beginning of the European soccer league seasons, you’ve probably noticed a new face on the fields of England, Spain, and Italy–the face of the new Nike Seitiro game ball.  Nike is marketing the Seitiro as the “World’s Best Ball”, but what separates it from the ball you’re using in your pick-up games at the park?  In a word, technology.

On the surface, the ball seems like a simple piece of equipment–it needs to be round, and that’s about it.  But round is not good enough for Nike, who employs teams of scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and designers to create a ball worthy of being kicked by the world’s best players.  You wouldn’t hand Cristiano Ronaldo your old beat-up size 5, now would you?

The Seitiro utilizes much of the same technology Nike introduced with the T90 Ascente in 2009/2010.  Its inner layers are made of Compressed Polyethylene, which stores energy at impact and releases it when the ball is launched.  This allows more power to be transferred from your foot through the ball, translating into more powerful shots.  In addition, Nitrogen-Expanded Foam is cross-linked in the inner chamber to give the ball exceptional shape-retention and durability.  Translation: It’s round–the way a ball should be–and it will stay that way!

The Seitiro’s synthetic outer casing creates a dimpled pattern on the ball’s surface, calling upon the same laws of Physics that help golf balls fly straighter and longer.  This means Andres Iniesta’s passes will be more accurate over both short and long distances (as if he needed any extra help!).

The ball is built using Geo II Balance technology, a precise geometry that distributes pressure evenly across the ball’s surface, adding to the accuracy and power of passes and shots.  And you thought high school math would never come in handy.

The newest feature of the Seitiro is the use of Nike’s innovative Rapid Decision and Response (RaDaR) technology.  The RaDaR graphics on the Seitiro have been scientifically tested to provide the optimal mix of color, contrast, design, and placement to allow players to see the ball better than ever before.

This allows them to make quicker split-second decisions that could potentially win the game.

Think you can handle a ball that travels faster, farther, and truer than any ball before it?  The same ball that Wayne Rooney, Andres Iniesta, and Cristiano Ronaldo will have at their feet this season?  Click here to see if your game is ready for Seitiro.