Score Big with a High Drop UV Printer for Sporting Equipment

Sports balls are at the heart of some of the world’s most popular games—basketball, soccer, rugby, football, and more. These items are more than just equipment; they’re symbols of team pride, athleticism, and community. Whether on the court, in the stadium, or at the park, balls are constantly in motion, making them ideal canvases for dynamic, high-visibility branding. Whether it’s a logo for a local league, a professional team, or a corporate sponsor, branding on sporting balls puts your message directly into the action.

Shape Challenges

From the textured grip of a basketball to the stitched panels of a soccer ball, each sport brings its own surface challenges. These spherical or oval shapes—often covered in synthetic leather, rubber, or polyurethane—can make branding a complex task. The curved nature means that traditional printing methods often fall short in delivering precise, durable graphics. But thanks to new advancements in UV printing, brands and manufacturers now have a powerful new option: high drop UV printers.

Sporting Balls as Promotional Products

Sporting balls are attention-grabbing promotional items with staying power. Custom balls are used for giveaways, fundraisers, events, and brand partnerships. And unlike handouts or keychains, they don’t get tossed aside—they get used, shared, and shown off. A custom-branded basketball at a community event or a rugby ball with a sponsor’s logo at a local tournament delivers a strong and lasting impression. The key to making that impression stick? A large, bold, and perfectly printed logo.

Stand Out with Larger Logos

Traditionally, decorating curved sports balls meant sacrificing logo size or detail. But now, brands can take advantage of high drop UV printer technology to go big—literally. Printers like the X5-T High Throw  allow for significantly larger logo prints on uneven, contoured surfaces. With a jetting distance of up to 15mm, the X5-T enables precise image placement on sporting balls, overcoming the limitations of traditional flatbed printers. This high drop UV printer is perfect for digitally decorating a range of sporting equipment including various balls, rackets and more.

How the X5-T High Drop UV Printer Tackles Curved Surfaces

The X5-T High Throw UV printer is specifically designed to handle irregular, non-flat surfaces—like those found on sporting balls. Its extended throw distance enables printing on objects with dramatic curves and varying textures, such as the seams of a soccer ball or the dimples of a rubber basketball. Combined with high-speed performance and vibrant color reproduction, the X5-T is a game-changer for manufacturers looking to enhance product offerings or boost promotional branding.

Ink that Moves with the Ball

When printing on items that bend, flex, and bounce, you need ink that won’t crack or peel. That’s where the XFLEXX UV Ink Series comes in. This flexible UV ink line is engineered to move with the surface, delivering long-lasting results on materials like rubber, vinyl, and soft synthetics. XFLEXX inks are available in a full CMYK color range plus White and Varnish, making them ideal for bold graphics, logos, and even full-color images on sporting goods.

The Winning Combo: X5-T + XFLEXX

Pairing the X5-T high drop UV printer with XFLEXX inks gives you the ultimate solution for printing on sports balls of all kinds. Whether you’re customizing basketballs for a tournament, branding soccer balls for a sponsorship deal, or printing rugby balls for retail, this combination ensures durability, visibility, and precision. And with Inkcups’ worldwide support network and decades of digital printing experience, you’re backed by the best in the industry.

For more information, please contact us today.