Purchasing a basketball can be as easy as choosing the first one you see, or it can require a more in-depth analysis, depending on the type of player you are. There are so many factors that come into play when making this decision: Which brand is the best? What type of material should the ball be made of? How much money should I expect to pay for a high-quality basketball?
In this article, we will be comparing two basketball brands to help you figure out which one is best for you.
Spalding and Molten are two of the top basketball brands in the world and have a long history in the sport. Both are veterans in the industry and have a number of partnerships on their resume. We will be looking at these companies from a few different angles. The criteria we will be using to determine which one is better are popularity, price, and quality.
Are Spalding Basketballs More Popular Than Molten?
Spalding is the more popular basketball when considering best-sellers, estimated revenue, and league prominence.
Popularity can be measured in a number of ways for basketball. Some will argue that sales are the most important indicator, while others will point to a brand’s presence in the professional space. Neither of these are incorrect; in fact, many factors can make up the popularity of a basketball.
Below, we’ve included the three of the most prominent e-commerce websites and filtered to see their best-selling basketballs. The results are below.
| E-Commerce Platform | # Spalding Best Sellers (%) | # Molten Best Sellers (%) |
| Amazon | 9/50 (18%) | 2/50 (4%) |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | 8/48 (17%) | 2/48 (4%) |
| Walmart | 20/77 (26%) | 1/77 (1%) |
| Total Weighted Average | 37/175 (21%) | 5 (0.6%) |
We can see that Spalding balls are way more popular when looking at e-commerce sales. This might be because the sites listed above are predominantly used in the US, and Molten, being FIBA’s official game ball, is more popular internationally.
Some additional insight we have on Molten is their total revenue for fiscal 2021. Even though they are a private company, they have listed this financial metric on their website, which totals to ¥39 billion (~$295 million). Although an impressive number, we shouldn’t forget that Molten doesn’t only make basketballs. Some of their other products include other sports equipment, automotive parts, healthcare equipment, and construction products.
According to Zoominfo, Spalding’s estimated quarterly revenue for Q1 2021 and Q2 2021 were around $19 million a piece. If we extend this for an additional two quarters, we can estimate Spalding’s total annual revenue to be about $76 million.
It’s tough to do a comparison here, but it is likely that Spalding pulls in more revenue than Molten’s basketball business, given that Molten’s other products are larger and more complex than a sports ball and likely have a higher price tag.
Another factor of popularity is the overall presence within the professional space of the sport. Spalding was the official NBA game ball provider for almost four decades, but still has partnerships with a number of leagues and teams, some of which we’ve included below.
- Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
- Liga Nacional de Basketball (LNB)
- Greek Basket League (GBL)
- Italian National Team
- Mexican National Team
Molten also has a few notable partnerships under their belt, including:
- FIBA
- Canadian National Team
- International Wheelchair Basketball Federation
- National Wheelchair Basketball Federation
While both do have notable relationships in the professional space, Spalding has significantly more than Molten does.
Are Spalding Basketballs More Expensive Than Molten?
When looking at the best-selling basketballs from both companies’ websites, Molten charges a significantly higher price than that of Spalding.
When we take a look at the numbers from a few different angles, Molten definitely has some advantages over Spalding; their mode price (the price of a basketball that shows up the most) is below all of the mode prices for Spalding. Even the ceiling to their price range is marginally lower than Spalding’s.
As we will see though, Spalding has an advantage with price flexibility given the number of different basketballs they make.
Spalding Cost Metrics
- Price Range: $17 – $150
- Median Price: $35
- Mode Price: $40; $30; $20
Molten Cost Metrics
- Price Range: $18 – $145
- Median Price: $50
- Mode Price: $18
Spalding vs. Molten: Average Basketball Price Comparison
Below, we’ve included a few popular balls made by each company and averaged out their prices. This, accompanied by the metrics up top should give you a well-rounded view of what you can expect to pay when going to purchase a basketball (Disclaimer: prices are subject to change).
| Spalding Basketball Name | Price | Molten Basketball Name | Price |
| Spalding Street Outdoor | $20 | Molten BG3800 | $50 |
| Spalding React TF-250 Indoor-Outdoor | $30 | Molten BGMX-C | $50 |
| Spalding Neverflat Pro Indoor-Outdoor | $40 | Molten Gold Trophy | $80 |
| Spalding Botanics Indoor-Outdoor | $40 | Molten BG4500 | $105 |
| Spalding Precision TF-1000 Indoor | $65 | Molten BG5000 | $145 |
| Spalding Total Avg. Price | $39 | Molten Total Avg. Price | $86 |
Interestingly, Molten’s most expensive basketballs are their most popular. The three priciest are FIBA-approved, allowing Molten to charge a premium (higher demand for a ball that meets the league’s standards).
Furthermore, Molten’s average price is likely higher than Spalding because they have less of a selection of balls to choose from (only 10 on their website). Even though 40% of Molten’s balls are priced around $18, they remainder of the balls are so highly priced that it leaves a huge gap of mid-priced basketballs that Spalding provides.
Also note that Spalding no longer provides the official game ball for the NBA, which could explain why many of their balls fall in more affordable ranges.
Are Spalding Basketballs Better Than Molten?
If quality is the most important factor in making your decision, both companies provide the whole spectrum of materials.
To get a better understanding as to which materials you should be keeping an eye out for, we’ve broken down the three main ones below, including their advantages and disadvantages.
- Rubber is the cheapest of the materials listed here, but it is the most durable when being used on an outdoor court. Additionally, rubber basketballs can be used on an indoor court if needed. The only downside is that they tend to lose their shape a bit quicker than basketballs made from leather (when used on their intended courts), and the material can be abrasive to your hands after thorough use.
- Composite Leather is a hybrid of leather and some alternative material (usually rubber or polyurethane). Composite basketballs are normally made to be used on both indoor and outdoor courts. Their grip tends to last longer than that of a rubber basketball, but not as long as leather when comparing grip and softness.
- Genuine Leather is the most costly material, but is the most preferred material amongst many NBA players. The benefits of having a leather basketball are that it is very soft on the hands and is the easiest to grip of all materials mentioned above. Unfortunately, they are really made to be used exclusively on an indoor court, limiting their overall utility.
When comparing material quality amongst the two companies’ balls, they really come down to a tie. Both Spalding’s and Molten’s most expensive balls are made from leather and are priced around $150, while their cheaper balls are either made of some composite material or just rubber.
In Conclusion: Spalding vs. Molten Basketball
Overall, Spalding seems to be the winner versus Molten.
For both popularity and price, Spalding is a top provider with many options to choose from depending on how big your budget is. The only area where it is slightly competitive would be in material quality, but you can get high-quality basketballs and cheaper basketballs from either brand.