well yesterday I ordered the nike tiempo legend ball for $50
today I was putting my gear on to go play, and thought "where do the balls the pros use in games go?" i mean seriously, the balls look new every game (EPL, la liga, even MLS) where do all the game used balls go? I'd be willing to buy some, since they would be a lot cheaper and used by the pros

any info?

some go to auctions some they give to charity some they just give them out

hmm...considering these leagues play so many games a week, there should be TONS of match used balls floating around.

yea i guess i wouldn't mind havin one myself. For baseball however, they players throw them in the stands sometimes. Or let you keep foul balls.

ya. but for tennis, i know they actaually sell those game used balls at tennis stores...

they cant just get all new balls for every game can they? i mean for every game they got balls all around the field with ball boys, i bet theirs 20 diffrent balls used in a game.

but u think EVERY football team is sponsored by nike in a way even the league so what they do they give them to them for bein part of the sponsor

I would imagine that the vast majority of them are used in training before being discarded.

I would imagine that the vast majority of them are used in training before being discarded.

I very much doubt that the balls are thrown away, and I would not be surprised if they are used for alot of matches- I mean come on, how worn out can a ball get in an overall amount of playing of about 5 mins each game?! (considering there are around 20 on a pitch, a match)

Clubs are allocated balls for training for example they get 50 of the blue total 90 balls and 50 red. They are to be used all year in training. The club will be given no new balls, even if for whatever reason a ball is lost, or stolen. However the club will obviously be given new balls if all of the balls have gone AWOL.

The same for match days put the club only keeps one or two of the match balls, the rest as you say are auctioned, or something along those lines.

I think it is pretty much along those lines, as I was a ball boy for many-a-year.

They probably get a few players to sign the balls and then auction them off for charity...at least that's what they do with basketballs and footballs (American) here in America

thanks for the info Joel!

I know that sometimes if it/s a ref they are allowed to keep a ball

yeah, big games, if the balls aren't sale for charity, refs might get them, I think most of the balls are going to practising and for youth team, but also for local schools etc.

Players also recieve the match ball too keep, they normally get the team to sign it and keep them as memorabilia or sell it for charity ectra.

I remeber Henry doing this after the Liverpool game at Highbury the season befor last i think when we came back and won 4-2 i think cos of his hattrick.

Yeah, any1 who scores a hat-trick, gets to keep the matchball.
I remember reading an Henry interview, and he said he doesn't care much for the balls, he just throws them in his attic or a spare room.

why don't they just sell them on the EPL, UEFA, FIFA or MLS (ect.) sites. sell em for like 1/2 price, or sell them at stores.

They could easily make some good money for charity or something like that.