New design for the Korfball ball

In the summer of 2009 I wrote a letter to Mikasa Japan:

1. Dear Sir / Madam,
First I would like to present myself to you:
My name is Ben Crum, I live in the Netherlands. My job is now international manager for foreign affairs in the Royal Dutch Korfball Association (KNKV). (see: Korfballadvisor or korfballadvisor ).

From 1978 – 1993 I was the national coach of the Netherlands. In 1978, as the national coach of my sport, I introduced the brand Mikasa. The Dutch distributer “Eilers Sport” then came in the market with that ball K5.
Before 1978 we played the sport with the Adidas Tango ball. Since that time (1978) the Mikasa ball became very popular in the korfball sport. Today, the Mikasa K5 is used everywhere as the official ball for matches.

But times are changing.
In 1978 Korfball was not played in so many countries. Since then, korfball has gained popularity in over 60 countries and I have to travel all over the world (my work is to coach coaches in the game of Korfball). And in every country I have to explain that a korf ball is another ball than a soccer ball. I think the main reason for this, lies in the fact that the ball which is used in korfball does not have his own "face". And I want to solve this problem of misunderstanding. This is the main reason why I want to introduce a new ball that has to replace the K5.

I want to visit your company and talk and cooperate with your designers. However, I do not only want to talk about the look of the cover of the ball, but also about the material of the cover. The cover of K5 is rather slippery and I am considering a cover that might come closer to the cover of the basket ball. However, I don’t want the look of the basket ball; no banana look, or what we call the pieces of an Orange. I am also considering that we need more than 2 colors. On the other hand I like a lot of qualities of the K5 ball. For example: the weight; the bounce (very important); and the way it looks on TV.

Next year there will be continental championships on the Asian and European continent and I would like to introduce a new ball during these tournaments. When we can introduce that new ball I estimate that Mikasa will get a boost in the market for the next 2 years. Because everywhere players will play with this new ball.

I hope you are interested in this proposal.
Yours sincerely,


2.
There did not come any answer from Mikasa Japan. Mikasa showed no interest.
In September I got an answer from Mikasa Europe:

Thanks a lot for your mail.
As you have already sent you message to Japan, please wait for a comment from their side.
As you know, I have personally already pushed a lot towards new balls and invested a lot of time and energy in such a project, without a pay back unfortunately.
Please be patient until internally discussed.

Thanks a lot.
Kind regards

Roland Arnold

Managing Director Europe MIKASA EUROPE- sports every day -


3.
In October I visited Mr. Eilers, the importer of the K5 in the Netherlands. I told him about these correspondences. I also told him if there was no satisfying answer at the end of October I would go to another producer of balls.
There never came an answer from Mikasa.


4.
So I approached the firm Conti and they came with several proposals for a new Korf ball. Now I have a very fine Korf ball with an own design and a special surface (outer casting) and after the approval by IKF we will introduce this ball in the Netherlands.
The graphic design is made by Mr. Henrik Barends, living in Atwerp Belgium