ReleaseWire

Austrian Start-Up Balldesigner Secures American Flag Soccer Ball Design Patent Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 at 9:30 AM CDT

Gallspach, Austria -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/23/2018 --Balldesigner announced its new launch of an exclusive American flag-style soccer ball whose release will align with the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S. Balldesigner first gained exposure on the Austrian start-up television series 2 Minuten 2 Millionen (comparable to "Shark Tank" in the U.S.).

Balldesigner's American flag design coincides with the first FIFA World Cup to be held in the United States since the tournament's inception. Balldesigner exclusively holds the U.S. patent for a soccer ball featuring an American flag design. Since 2017, Balldesigner has created uniquely designed soccer balls from high quality materials under fair labor conditions.

Personalization is a defining feature for Balldesigner's soccer ball designs. The start-up offers multiple customization options on its website for innovative soccer ball design, from multi-panel to panorama designs.

"To me, personalization is a unique capability and margin driver," said Mark Zechiel, CEO and founder of Balldesigner. "Most companies can print 500 balls with the exact same thing on each one, but we're able to personalize every single ball with a unique image."

Balldesigner's vision for future products has evolved into more complex visual pieces as the company has grown from its initial investment on 2 Minuten 2 Millionen.

"[Balldesigner] started off in printing a club emblem on a soccer ball, but evolved into highly complex flag designs," said Zechiel. "We developed [a] special algorithm for printing curved lines to get straight lines on a soccer ball. Being the first company who used this technology, we registered 17 different design patents at the European Union Intellectual Property Office. [We] quickly saw a huge value in being able to personalize each soccer ball and made a joint venture with a printing company in Atlanta, Georgia. Now I'm excited to take Balldesigner, on a new, unique journey [in] personalization with [our American flag soccer ball design]."

The FIFA World Cup is one of the most watched sporting events in the world, with 3.2 billion viewers tuning into the 2018 tournament. Balldesigner's American flag soccer ball campaign launch during the 2026 FIFA World Cup will position the start-up to expand into the U.S. retail market in addition to attracting interest in schools and soccer clubs.

About Balldesigner
Since its inception in 2017, Balldesigner has offered uniquely designed soccer balls with a wide array of customizable design options. The company prides itself on producing soccer balls with high quality materials in fair working conditions. For more information, please visit www.balldesigner.at.