Have you ever noticed that most college and high school footballs have a stripe that only goes half way around the circumference of the ball? This is truly an odd looking thing to see a half striped football. Are we to consider it like a Picasso painting and fill in the rest with our imagination?
No there is a reason for the half stripe footballs. According to our research Night games and better visibility is the reason for sripes. Historically once upon a time, white footballs were used in games played at night so that the ball can be seen more easily, however, improved artificial lighting conditions have made this no longer necessary. At most levels of play (but not, notably, the NFL), white stripes are painted on each end of the ball, halfway around the circumference, to improve nighttime visibility and also to differentiate the college game's football from that of the NFL football. The stripes were once all the way around the circumference of the ball and at some point it was decided the half stripes added the same benefit. They also look kind of cool when someone zip a perfect spiral with a half striped football.
The website Balls.com says, "NCAA rules for college football appear to be similar to those used by the NFL. The physical characteristics of each are the same. The differences come in the markings on the surface. The most visible exceptions are that the NCAA requires two one-inch white stripes and prohibits professional football league logos."
They still use fullstripes traverse the entire circumference of the ball in the CFL and the 2022 USFL had a stripe pattern of stars around each end of the ball. In College football the half striped portion os normally on the side with the laces. Former NFL kicker Sean Conley shared with us in a recent interview that the striped area extended opposisite the laces is the location of that sweet spot kickers look for to get the best kicks for points.
