NIKE's new flight ball promises a 'revolution in football aerodynamics'

following eight years of testing and research in their equipment innovation lab, NIKE unveils a revolutionary ball design: the NIKE flight. integrating the company’s new aerowsculpt technology, the ‘game-changing’ football is carefully sculpted with a pattern of grooves and chevrons to optimize its flight.

all images courtesy of NIKE

the NIKE equipment innovation lab utilized insight from players to create the final ball. the design process involved tracking the ball flight of different types of kicks, replicating the various kick types using a robotic leg, and testing the aerodynamics, construction and material of ball prototypes. after thousands of hours in the lab and 68 different iterations, the team landed on the final version that delivers a measurable benefit of 30% truer flight than its NIKE predecessor.

‘everything done at the lab is rooted in science,’ says kieran ronan, NIKE senior director for global equipment. ‘here, we are able to detect small differences in performance that may not be perceivable to most athletes, but when those small differences are iterated upon 68 times, the result is a noticeable leap in performance.’

to reduce wobble and create more predictable and consistent flight, the NIKE innovation equipment lab engineered a solution that promotes air movement around the ball rather than gripping its surface. the performance-based design introduces NIKE aerowsculpt, a new proprietary aerodynamic technology. ‘the construction started with a square-shaped aerotrack groove,’ explains ronan. ‘over the course of the 68 iterations, we modified the shape of the groove, added sculpted chevrons and explored multiple features throughout to deliver one geometric pattern that helps promote a more stable flight.’

the panel configuration also influences how the ball flies. NIKE flight carries a fuse-welded four panel construction with 40 percent fewer stiff seams than a traditional 12-panel ball. an additional design element comes in the repurposing of NIKE all conditions control (ACC) 3d ink. introduced in 2014, ACC helps ensure optimal grip in wet or dry conditions. 

product info:

product name: NIKE flight

design: NIKE