- Toledo Blade

Footballs ready to be laced.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Bins of footballs at the Wilson Football Factory.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

A water tower has the Wilson and NFL logos on it near the Wilson Football Factory in Ada, Ohio.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Ada Mayor Dave Retterer stands next to a large football made for the first ever 'Made in Ada Wilson Football Festival,' which heralds the towns connection to the Super Bowl.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Patterns to make the footballs at the Wilson Football Factory.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Pam Clark weighs a football for quality control.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Dan Riegle, left, plant manager, speaks with employee Michelle Burkett while she cuts out the leather for the footballs.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Pam Clark makes sure the laces on a football are standard for quality control.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

A large football made for the first ever 'Made in Ada Wilson Football Festival,' which heralds the towns connection to the Super Bowl.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Pam Clark measures the diameter of a football to make sure it is up to standard for quality control.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Pam Clark makes sure the laces on a football are standard for quality control.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Donna Conley laces footballs.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Kaitlin Long sews Wilson Super Bowl footballs. She is one of two employees in the factory making these specific footballs.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Derek Gibson 'tugs' a new football.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image

Kaitlin Long, left, and Cheryl Crisenbery sew Wilson Super Bowl footballs. The two are the only employees in the factory making these specific footballs.

THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT
Buy This Image