Wilson will also show off the basketball to shoppers Feb. 16 to Feb. 18 at the NBA Crossover event in Indianapolis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nDive Insight:<\/h3>\n
The Airless Gen1 basketball builds upon Wilson\u2019s prototype, and includes performance improvements and a streamlined manufacturing process.\u00a0The basketball \u201cnearly fits\u201d regulation basketball criteria, including weight, size and bounce, according to the company.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were overwhelmed by the excitement from our Airless Prototype, and we knew it was time to bring this rare, first-of-its-kind innovation to the world,\u201d Kevin Murphy, general manager of Team Sports at Wilson, said in a statement. \u201cWilson has gone where no brand has gone before with the release of the Airless Gen1 basketball, further inspiring the next generation of sports innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The product launch comes as Wilson\u2019s parent company, Amer Sports, filed for an initial public offering last month and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange last week. The move generated about $1.37 billion, though the company debuted at a lower per-share price point than its $16 to $18 goal. The company intends to use the proceeds to pay down debt, freeing up capital to invest in its brands, which also include Arc\u2019teryx and Salomon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wilson\u2019s own growth agenda in recent years has included expanding its brick-and-mortar footprint. In July 2021, the company opened its first store, in Chicago\u2019s Gold Coast neighborhood, where shoppers could access seasonal product drops, unique colorways and a broad assortment of sports equipment. It went on to open a pop-up shop in New York City\u00a0tied to the U.S. Open, a flagship location in SoHo, and other locations in the Mall of America and Santa Monica, California, among others.<\/p>\n
The store openings are part of the company’s \u201cdirect to community\u201d strategy of building relationships with its customers, Gordon Devin, president of Wilson Sportswear, told Retail Dive in a 2022 interview.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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