Definitely what we expect when we buy a ball, is to be able to practice the sport we love so much and to be able to play with our friends that game that gives us hours and hours of fun. As you can see, any of the balls of these 4 sports is very good. The main difference is precisely the sport for which it is used. In the following we will focus on each one.
Football. This is the most popular ball of all, as it is the most played sport in the world. In its beginnings it was made of leather, and as time went by, its composition evolved. Materials such as leather and polyurethane, synthetic fibres, and innovative woven layer systems are now used.
The most recent one is made of fibres and synthetic layers of 6 panels instead of the original 32, and a chip was incorporated to measure the efficiency of the ball and to corroborate if it passes the goal line during the game. It measures between 68 and 70 cm in circumference and weighs up to 450 grams.
Basketball. There is no pass, play or basket where the basketball does not participate. Nowadays it is made of different materials such as leather, synthetic fibres or plastic and its surface is rough to make it easier to grip.
It is available in 3 sizes: the men's ball measures between 75-78 cm. Its weight is between 567-650 grams. The women's ball measures between 72-73 cm and weighs between 510-567 grams. Finally, the children's ball should measure between 69-70 cm and weigh between 470-510 grams.
Tennis ball. This ball, or commonly called tennis ball, is used with an accessory called a racket. There is a type of tennis ball for each type of surface on which the sport is played. Although they may look the same at first glance, tennis balls are segmented into 3 types.
Type 1 is for slow surfaces such as clay, type 2 is for normal or hard surfaces such as cement or concrete and type 3 is for fast surfaces such as grass, either natural or artificial. All tennis balls have similarities such as the colour and the fact that they have no seams so as not to alter the bounce. Their measurements are between 65 and 68 millimetres in diameter, their weight is between 56 and 59.4 grams.
American Football Ball. This ball is the only one of the 4 mentioned above that is not sphere-shaped, but ovoid-shaped. It is one of the few footballs that can be used with both hands and feet. It is worth mentioning that American football is the only contact sport of the four mentioned above, so the shape of the ball is of vital importance to the sport.
The ball has a rubber chamber inside and is inflated to 12.5 to 13.5 pounds. It should measure 11 inches (27.94 cm) from tip to tip, and the largest circumference should be 28 to 28.5 inches (71.12 cm), while the smallest should be 21 inches (53.34 cm). Its weight should be between 14 and 15 ounces (396 to 425 grams).