Game balls for World Cup matches have become stars in their own right during the tournament. The ball has made headlines with its embedded technology and raised questions among fans, including: Why is everyone expected to promptly toss the ball back onto the field? It's a question more out of curiosity than an outcry for change, per the AP. The thrill of catching a match ball is short-lived for World Cup attendees as staff members working the match await on the field in a ready position for fans to throw it back, per FIFA policy.
Some fans try to get a quick selfie with the ball if they're lucky enough to get their hands on it. A game ball would definitely be a coveted memento, especially for those who've spent thousands on flights, hotels, and prime tickets. "The amount of money that I spent, I should definitely be able to keep a [ball] when I catch it," England fan Jack Goodwin said. It's a tradition for American sports fans—catch a baseball at a game and you have a souvenir for life; bonus if it's a ball from a playoff game or a milestone moment for the hitter. In soccer, however, not so much.
"We don't know, and we don't care," one Congo fan said when asked if he knew why fans couldn't keep a ball kicked into the stands. "We didn't come here for a prize—we came here to watch our country." As for the "why?" FIFA's policy is so rigid can be difficult. The organization didn't respond to emails requesting comment on this story, but theories range from tradition, to economic concerns, to the ball's technology, to the flow of the game. "I don't think there's ever been a policy where you can keep the ball, which, unlike baseball, is a fairly expensive piece of equipment," soccer historian Charles Cuttone says. "Back in the day, it was not unusual for there to be one ball at a game. That was it."
Fans can purchase FIFA balls from licensed venders or pop-up stands for anywhere from $60 to $180. It's unclear how much soccer's ruling body pays for match-day balls, though it would seem whatever the cost FIFA could afford to have a few more on hand to ensure the match isn't interrupted. This year's World Cup ball, the Adidas Trionda, is the most sophisticated to date. It's a four-panel, thermally pressed polyurethane ball, with perhaps the most defining feature on the inside: a 500Hz motion sensor that sends real-time data to the video assistant referee system to help officials with decisions, including the oft-controversial offsides call. More here.
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