When choosing a basketball, you need to consider several factors. Are you planning on using the ball outdoors or indoors? Are you training to try out for a team or for casual games with friends? What is your budget?
Each basketball player’s answers will differ, which makes choosing the right ball even more important. After all, playing a game is no fun if you have sub-par equipment.
In this article, we will compare two well-known basketball brands: Rawlings and Franklin. We will rate each on terms of popularity, price, and quality
What Should I Look For When Purchasing A Basketball?
Quality of materials, durability, air retention, performance, and price are all important considerations when purchasing a basketball. Aside from price, the two most important are materials and durability.
Materials
Basketballs mainly come in one of three materials: rubber, composite leather, and genuine leather.
- Rubber is the cheapest material and is best for outdoor use but tends to lose its shape and grip the quickest compared to leather (when used on their intended courts).
- Composite leather is a mixture of leather and polyurethane, a plastic material. The hybrid between these two allows for basketballs to be used both indoors and outdoors and is extremely durable to different conditions.
- Genuine leather is the most expensive material out of the three but is generally the softest to use. This is the material used on official NBA balls and has been since the league’s inception. Genuine leather balls should only be used in indoor courts, as outdoor elements can quickly weather them and render them useless.
Durability
Depending on the materials, durability measures how long a product can last under the assumed conditions. For basketballs, you’ll want a ball durable enough to play as often as you want. Because certain materials are better suited for outdoor vs. indoor play, you’ll want to buy a basketball that is suited for the environment you regularly play.
Is Franklin More Popular Than Rawlings?
This is a toss-up. Both Franklin and Rawlings are well-known companies, but are much better known for their baseball and softball equipment than for basketball. Both brands have limited options when it comes to basketballs, though Franklin has slightly more variety and number of basketball products (according to each brand’s official website).
Among their limited options, both Franklin and Rawlings are more geared towards women’s basketball, having a higher proportion of 28.5-inch basketballs that are used in women’s leagues, as opposed to the 29.5-inch basketballs that are standard for male players.
In terms of social media popularity, Rawlings has a significantly larger following than Franklin, but that is mainly because Rawlings is a huge player in the baseball space.
| Social Media Platform | Franklin Following | Rawlings Following |
| 163K | 584K | |
| 98K | 219K | |
| 14K | 112K | |
| YouTube | 4K | 11K |
| Total Social Media Following | 279K | 926K |
Unfortunately, we are unable to compare basketball production or sales numbers for either company because both companies are private and don’t have much information publicly available. This, tied with the fact that neither have any real partnerships with significant basketball leagues, makes this category go either way.
Are Franklin Basketballs More Expensive Than Rawlings?
In terms of price, Franklin basketballs wins hands down. Franklin basketballs offer products great for every day play at much more affordable prices than the Rawlings balls.
We went to each brand’s official website to avoid any misinformation, as prices on Amazon can fluctuate and don’t always reflect the retail value of each product (Disclaimer: prices are subject to change)..
| Franklin Basketball | Price | Rawlings Basketball | Price |
| Franklin 5000 Indoor Women’s | $19.99 | Rawlings Contour Women’s | $74.95 |
| Franklin 2000 Men’s | $24.99 | Rawlings Crossover Men’s | $29.95 |
| Franklin Black Top Series Men’s | $24.99 | Rawlings Edge Men’s | $59.95 |
| Total Avg. Franklin Cost | ~$23.33 | Total Avg. Rawlings Cost | ~$55.00 |
The first row compares two similar products: Rawlings 28.5-inch (women’s standard size) basketball, Rawlings Contour and the Franklin 5000 Indoor Women’s Basketball, 28.5-inch. The difference here is in the quality; Franklin’s ball cover is made of rubber, while the Contour is made of a microfiber composite leather.
The second row compares the Rawlings Crossover Basketball and the Franklin 2000 basketballs. Both are suited for indoor and outdoor play and are made from composite leather. The only really difference here is the price.
The third row compares two more popular models: the Rawlings Edge and the Franklin Black Top Series Basketball. Both balls are suited for indoor and outdoor play, but are made of different material. Franklin has made their ball using rubber, while Rawlings’s is made of composite leather. The quality difference is compensated in the price, which Franklin’s ball being significantly cheaper.
Are Franklin Basketballs Better Than Rawlings?
In terms of ball quality, Rawlings takes the cake over Franklin. while Rawlings has a smaller selection of basketballs, they do make their balls out of composite leather. Franklin, however, makes most of their balls out of rubber (which is likely why they are significantly cheaper). While rubber balls are still good to use, they tend to start deforming more quickly than balls made of the alternative materials mentioned.
In Conclusion: Franklin vs. Rawlings Basketballs
While this question is subjective and there is no real way of knowing which product is inherently “better,” Franklin and Rawlings are both very similar in their products. Each company is better known for their baseball, softball, and t-ball equipment and have limited basketball products. The most significant difference between the two brands is price, with Franklin basketballs much more affordable than Rawlings. This makes Franklin a more inclusive brand regarding basketballs, as their products are more accessible by a wider population.