Case History - Spalding Sports, Neverflat Basketball

Another chapter in innovation was unfolding for Spalding, the world’s largest basketball equipment brand. A pioneer in product development since introducing the first official basketball in 1894, Spalding was launching NEVER FLAT, the first-ever ball with pressure retention technologies guaranteed to hold air up to 10 times longer than traditional basketballs. The plan -- introduce NEVER FLAT in time for the holiday season. Spalding looked to L2 Communications to build buzz on the street and drive consumers to the store shelves.

Months prior to the NEVER FLAT launch, L2 researched and coordinated industry and technology award submissions from Popular Science to Sports Edge; mapped out media relations strategies with long-lead (national consumer and trade) publications and holiday gift guides to ensure NEVER FLAT was seen and heard during holiday shopping season.

In addition, creative promotional events included NEVER FLAT dribblers in New York en route to the NBA Store. Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce’s store appearance and NEVER FLAT’s sponsorship of the world’s longest basketball game for charity

NEVER FLAT earned instant credibility when it was named Popular Science’s “2005 Best of What’s New” product. Katie, Matt and Al bounced the NEVER FLAT around on the Today Show and media outlets from coast to coast took notice. Stories were secured in the Boston Globe, ESPN Magazine, Street & Smith Sports Business Journal and Sports Illustrated for Kids, to name a few. And sales? Well, in three short weeks, with no advertising whatsoever, the Spalding NEVER FLAT basketball jumped to the #1 ball in the Sporting Goods channel according to SportScan information.