Where to buy new ICON ball?

[exccsracer]

I've checked a dozen places and no one seems to carry this ball with this specific stamp. We bought 6 at our first tourney of the year but haven't seen them anywhere since. I've found some new old stock with the NSA 44/400 stamp but it doesn't specifically say ICON on it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bobby Buggs]

Evil version should be shipping in about 3 weeks

 

[JoeAlverson]

Where can I buy 6 doz / a case?

 

[Bobby Buggs]

I will announce when they arrive

 

[kicker30]

Why is it taking so long for these to be available? Right now it only seems like Dudley has balls that can bought and you know for sure that you are getting ICON stamped balls. If they had the ability to get them ready, why haven’t others?

 

[Bobby Buggs]

All about shipping times. You also have to realize NSA ball sales are not a big slice of the pie so they dont get in front of other styles being run. Ours will arrive soon, they will be properly stamped and approved for play

 

[kicker30]

All about shipping times. You also have to realize NSA ball sales are not a big slice of the pie so they dont get in front of other styles being run. Ours will arrive soon, they will be properly stamped and approved for play

I understand the lead time aspect of it, the part that doesn’t make sense is that it’s time for spring seasons to be starting and there have been tournaments going on all winter that have been using the new ball (and touting it as a reason to come play the tournament) but so far it only appears that one manufacturer has balls available. Did it just work out perfect that they were starting to make a batch of balls at the exact time the got word of the change and were able to change up how they made them or did NSA give info to different manufacturers at different times (basically playing favorites) or was NSA just really late giving any info out and hose guys just took a gamble? Just really strange that with a new ball being allowed that most everyone will prefer to play with and only one company has balls on the market in time for people to get them to start spring seasons with, especially with there having been discussion of it happening since this time last year. It also sucks that the ones that are available aren’t the ones I would prefer to buy.

Separate quistion as well, will Evil (and really Trump in general) be offering them in both 11” & 12”?

 

[Country469]

You do realize that he has to submit samples for testing, pay fees, and wait for the ball to be approved. Then work with the facility and have them made to spec, checked for quality, and then shipped in a full container from overseas right? This is not America or Amazon.com and its hard to control **** going on in China. (where all balls are made)

The 44 400 balls were not used for much else other than back yard ish until NSA ran back to them, Dudley may be selling old stock that got stamps now. Who knows. For the vast majority of the country, no softball is played in jan-march so why rush and pay more to get them here and have to pass that on to the consumer? Freedom Sports is also a big customer of Evil, a regional assoc, who uses 44 400 private labeled that only they sell. Could be a huge corporate customer takes precedence over one off customers too?

 

[Bobby Buggs]

Yeah, much more goes into this than people know. I can only speak for Evil at this point and No we didnt make a 11 inch ball for NSA, as it will not meet our minimum sales #s and will sit on the shelves for years.

 

[kicker30]

Thanks for the replies. I know there are approvals and lead times and such, just curious if it was NSA not notifying manufacturers early enough to be able to get things in motion or the low on the totem pole view of NSA that was responsible? I’m not trying to knock anyone manufacturer-wise, they have to make the decisions that make the best sense for their business, but it is pretty sad if NSA was just lax in notifying them about the change.

 

[Bobby Buggs]

I would not say it was NSA's fault, we could have reacted sooner.