Standardizing the colour of the ball. Yellow for all games?

[Dan26]

One thing I've had on my mind is that the red ball, traditional as it may be, is not the most visually striking colour. It doesn't stand out, and I noticed last week at the Telstra Dome between the Dogs and the Saints that you can lose sight of it briefly when it goes into the shade, especially if you're sitting up in the bleachers or it's a murky day. Yes, you can see it, but not as well as the yellow ball.

Think of when you have attend cricket matches, and how the white ball is a million times easier to see than the traditional red ball. There is no comparison. The White ball is visually miles better.

So, why not standardize the yellow ball for all games? Half the games are played at night now anyway. Half the games have a yellow ball right now.

I know it's not traditional, but that's only because for the first 88 years of the VFL-AFL we didn't have night games at all. We do now, and have had for the last 23 years. And it's only in that time, that it's become apparent that the yellow ball is visually more appealing to the spectator.

So, what if it's untraditional? It's still leather. It still plays the same. It looks better to the naked eye, and it stands out more. Yellow or white would make for a better standard ball in my opinion, across the whole sport at all levels.

 

[InCase]

Not white, with clash guernseys going mainly white for a lot of teams will look crap. I have no problem it being yellow all the time.

Those pink ones even look good, haha.

 

[RUNVS]

I got no problem with this idea.

 

[The Passenger]

as i a bit of a sidenote, does anyone reckon the grip on the yellow ball seems to hold for longer??

whenever i'm at training ill always try and get the yellow ball to have shots on goals with.

doesn't really matter with new balls but if the balls are a year or so old....

 

[That's deliberate]

One thing is for sure:

The yellow ball swings more and you get geater distance from it.

Don't ask me why it just does.

 

[Feerits Elf]

^ Yep.

It's because the synthetic pigment used to dye the balls yellow has a different molecular structure, so balls that colour are marginally easier to grip.

That's straight up, heard it from a bloke whose uncle used to work at Burley-Sekem.

 

[Cohzee]

I guess it depends on what the players prefer.

 

[Lensen]

Yellow balls are shit to play with. Shit to kick, shit to try and mark - they have that lacquer on them to shield them from the dew.

 

[Bosley]

Not white, with clash guernseys going mainly white for a lot of teams will look crap. I have no problem it being yellow all the time.

Those pink ones even look good, haha.

I actually agree that the pink balls are good. Highly visible and sort of a compromise between the bright yellow and the red.

I'm sure it won't happen just because the colour is "pink" but it sure would show that the AFL aren't a bunch of homophobes (which they are so it won't happen).

They are looking at using pink balls for day / nite cricket matches ... we could beat them to the punch!

 

[Bosley]

I guess it depends on what the players prefer.

Was this tongue in cheek? Since when have the AFL cared what the players think anymore?!

 

[goal sneak]

Yellow balls are shit to play with. Shit to kick, shit to try and mark - they have that lacquer on them to shield them from the dew.

Spot on - Red balls are 10x better.

 

[Tigersman]

Red footy is way better to play with

 

[blues4flag]

A football's a football. Personally, I think red in day, yellow at night is best. Harder to see the yellow in bright sunlight.

 

[Carn Hawkas]

What about a metalic gold or silver ball?

 

[Wishinman]

One thing is for sure:

The yellow ball swings more and you get geater distance from it.

Don't ask me why it just does.

The Red ones go faster.

 

[ozasismick]

Think of when you have attend cricket matches, and how the white ball is a million times easier to see than the traditional red ball. There is no comparison. The White ball is visually miles better.

I would pull you up on this point. Red balls are visible for 80 overs in a cricket match before the captain is given the option for a new ball, white ones last 34 before a compulsory ball change.

 

[Dan26]

I would pull you up on this point. Red balls are visible for 80 overs in a cricket match before the captain is given the option for a new ball, white ones last 34 before a compulsory ball change.

What has that got to do with the topic?

The point I was making is that the white ball is easier to see than the red ball. A yellow footy does not need to be replaced. In fact, probably 10 footies (red or yellow) are used in a game anyway.

 

[brucetiki]

Well the WAFL has used yellow balls only for years now, but I don't have an issue with red for day and yellow for night.

 

[w00dy]

it'd be weird watching a yellow ball bounced on grand final day...

 

[Cleavy]

The Red ones go faster.

10% faster

 

[Dan26]

After the visual mess on Saturday with the red ball almost unrecognisable going up against the red/maroon crowd, I can’t help but think we need to use yellow for all games (even day games). Just make it always the same colour, just like NRL games always use a white ball regardless of day of night.

Most games are night/twilight anyway, so the red ball is already in minority use. One of the other posters on here stated that the WAFL use yellow balls for all games now. It’s obviously better for fans (visually) and the players use yellow for most games anyway.

Think of how much better yesterdays Grand Final would have looked with a yellow ball. You could barely see the red one at times.

 

[Walshawk]

After the visual mess on Saturday with the red ball almost unrecognisable going up against the red/maroon crowd, I can’t help but think we need to use yellow for all games (even day games). Just make it always the same colour, just like NRL games always use a white ball regardless of day of night.

Most games are night/twilight anyway, so the red ball is already in minority use. One of the other posters on here stated that the WAFL use yellow balls for all games now. It’s obviously better for fans (visually) and the players use yellow for most games anyway.

Think of how much better yesterdays Grand Final would have looked with a yellow ball. You could barely see the red one at times.

What about when Hawthorn plays? They will need a clash ball.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I’d be fine with yellow all the time

 

[Cuzz09]

Green Ball just for LoLs

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[Clark G]

Perhaps an orange ball could be trialled.