Abstract: An automated objective American-football evaluation system may include an American-style football, at least one sensor carried by the football, and electronics to: (a) receive a string of sensor signals from the at least one accelerometer; (b) determine a time of an initial impact of the football with a receiver based upon the received string of sensor signals; and (c) output a catch quality, the catch quality being based upon a portion of the string of sensor signals that is based upon the determined time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

Abstract: An automated objective American-football evaluation system may include an American-style football, at least one sensor carried by the football, the at least one sensor comprising at least one accelerometer carried by the football and electronics. The electronics are to: (a) receive a string of sensor signals from the at least one sensor; (b) determine a characteristic of a throw of the football based upon the received string of sensor signals; (c) determine an identity of a football player associated with the throw of the football; (d) assign the determined characteristic of the throw of the football to the determined identity of the football player; and (e) output the determined characteristic of the throw, the determined identity of the football player and the assignment of the determined characteristic of the throw of the football to the determined identity the football.

Abstract: A basketball configured for organized, competitive play and having a total mass. The basketball includes an inflatable, generally spherical bladder, a set of winding surrounding the bladder, an elastomeric layer surrounding the set of windings and the bladder, and a plurality of cover panels positioned over the elastomeric layer. The bladder has a bladder mass that is greater than 25 percent of the total mass. The elastomeric layer and the set of windings have a collective mass that is less than 55 percent of the total mass.

Abstract: An automated objective American-football evaluation system may include an American-style football, at least one sensor carried by the football, and electronics. The electronics arranged to: (a) receive strings of sensor signals from the at least one sensor, wherein the characteristic of the throw of the football determined by the electronics; and (b) output throw quality. The throw quality is based upon a combination of at least two throw characteristic determined based upon the received string of sensor signals associated with a throw of the football. The at least two throw characteristics are selected from a group of throw characteristics consisting of: velocity; spin rate; time-of-flight; angle of attack; release angle; cone angle; nutation angle; spiral efficiency; and spiral decay.

Abstract: A ball bat barrel has an interior surface and a luminescent layer on the interior surface. The luminescent layer, upon being charged, emits light that indicates tampering with the interior surface.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a sensor to be carried by a piece of sporting equipment and a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program logic that operates different operational modes. The program logic receives signals from the sensor, determines from the signals whether the piece of sporting equipment is in a sport action state or a mode input state, records a sport action result in response to determination that the piece of sporting equipment is in a sport action state, and switches the program logic to a different operational mode in response to determination that the piece of sporting equipment is in a mode input state.

Abstract: A basketball including a carcass, cover panels, and cover strips. The carcass has an outer surface defining a first set of channels and cover panels regions between the first set of channels. The panels are respectively positioned over the panel regions and are spaced apart from each other. The strips are positioned over the channels. The strips have inner and outer surfaces extending between first and second sidewalls. The strips have a thickness that is measured radially from a centerpoint from the inner to the outer surface, and a width that is measured from the first to the second sidewall. At least one groove is formed into the outer surface. The groove has a width that extends between 20 to 70 percent of the width of the strip and has a maximum depth from the outer surface that is at least 50 percent of the maximum thickness of the strip.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium to direct a processor to: receive first signals indicating a made basketball shot or a missed basketball shot by a first person during a first basketball shooting session, receive second signals indicating a made basketball shot or a missed basketball shot by a second person during a second basketball shooting session, track a number of made basketball shots by the first person and the second person, and output an indicator of a relationship of the number of made basketball shots by the first person to the number of made basketball shots by the second person at least after each made shot by of the second person while the second person is partaking in the second basketball shooting session producing the second signals.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium to direct a processor to: receive signals indicating a made basketball shot or a missed basketball shot of a basketball by a person during a basketball shooting session, receive signals indicating a location from which each made basketball shot is made, and determine and output a user cumulative score for the person for the basketball shooting session, the cumulative score being based upon the location of each made basketball shot.

Abstract: An apparatus including a golf ball comprising an internal sensor, and an internal wireless communicator. The internal wireless communicator adapted to communicate parameters sensed by the sensor to external electronics, wherein the external electronics are configured to determine if the golf ball went into a cup based upon the parameters.

Abstract: A football sensing system may include an American-style football extending along a longitudinal axis and having a maximum transverse dimension defining a transverse axis and at least one accelerometer. The football has a bladder and a cover about the bladder. The accelerometer is carried by the football between the bladder and the cover to sense acceleration along at least a first axis. The accelerometer is sized to sense a predetermined maximum value of acceleration in the first axis. The accelerometer is positioned within the football in a first position with the first axis of the accelerometer angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the football. The accelerometer in the first position is capable of measuring acceleration values in a direction in line with or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the football that are greater than the predetermined maximum value of acceleration in the first axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for engagement with a barrel of a bat includes a cup and at least one cover. The cup is secured for securement to a distal end of the barrel of the bat. The cup defines a cavity and includes a first connector portion. The at least one cover has a second connector portion cooperating with the first connector portion to releasably secure the cover to the cup over the cavity.

Abstract: An American style football including an inflatable bladder, a cover surrounding the bladder, a battery carried by the football, and a light emitter. The light emitter is carried by the football and is electrically connected to the battery. At least a portion of the cover transmits light from the light emitter.

Abstract: An adjustable knob assembly for a ball bat having a tubular handle portion extending about a longitudinal axis. The assembly includes a base and an annular knob. The base includes an end wall and a cylindrical outer wall extending from the end wall. The outer wall is configured to be fixedly coupled to a proximal end of the handle portion of the bat. The outer wall includes a first set of interlocking structure. The annular knob includes an inner radial surface defining a central opening. The inner radial surface includes a second set of interlocking structure. The first and second sets of interlocking structure are positionable between at least a first locked knob position and a second locked knob position.

Abstract: An apparatus including a sensor carried by a racquet and an indicator in communication with the sensor. The sensor outputs a notification based on (a) the number of hits by the racquet based on signals from the sensor and (b) at least one of an elapsed time since a last stringing of the racquet and an input skill level of a person using the racquet. Additionally, an apparatus including a racquet, a sensor carried by the racquet, and an indicator in communication with the sensor. The sensor can be a strain gauge, a load cell, an acoustic sensor and a vibro-acoustic sensor. The sensor outputs a notification based on the number of hits by the racquet based on signals from the sensor.

Abstract: A basketball shot determination system for use with a basket and a portable electronic device including a data acquisition device, a processing unit, a memory and an output device, the system includes a basketball, at least one sensor carried by the basketball, and a non-transient computer-readable medium. The medium contains code to direct the processor to obtain at least one attribute of a shot of the basketball towards the basket from the data acquisition device. The at least one attribute is sensed by the sensor or derived from signal output by the sensor. The medium contains code to direct the processor to determine whether the shot is a made basket by comparing the at least one attribute of the shot to one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket, and to present output to a person based on the determination of whether the shot is a made basket.

Abstract: A player training apparatus for use with a portable performance system. The portable performance system includes a processor, a memory and a display. The training apparatus includes an American-style football, at least one sensor coupled to the football, at least one transmitter coupled to the football and operably coupled to the sensor, and a non-transient computer-readable medium containing code. The code directs the processor to: retrieve a football instructional package from the memory regarding an act with the football; display the football instructional package on the display; instruct the player to perform the act with the football; receive input pertaining to motion of the football; store information related to the input into the memory; and display information relating to the input.

Abstract: A basketball shot determination system for use with a basket and a portable electronic device including a processing unit, a memory and an output device, the system includes a basketball, at least one sensor carried by the basketball, and a non-transient computer-readable medium. The medium contains code to direct the processor to obtain at least one attribute of a shot of the basketball towards the basket. The at least one attribute being sensed by the at least one sensor or derived from signal output by the at least one sensor. The code also directs the processor to determine whether the shot is a made basket by comparing the at least one attribute of the shot to one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket, and to present output to a person based on the determination of whether the shot is a made basket.

Abstract: A football sensing system including an American-style football extending along a longitudinal axis and having a maximum transverse dimension defining a transverse axis and at least one accelerometer carried by the football to sense acceleration of the football along at least a first axis. The accelerometer is sized to sense a predetermined maximum value of acceleration in the first axis. The accelerometer is positioned within the football in a first position with the first axis of the accelerometer angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the football. The accelerometer in the first position is capable of measuring acceleration values in a direction in line with or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the football that are greater than the predetermined maximum value of acceleration in the first axis.

Abstract: An apparatus including a data acquisition device, a processing unit, a memory and an output device. The data acquisition device obtains at least one attribute of a shot of a basketball towards a basket. The at least one attribute is sensed by at least one sensor carried by the basketball or derived from signal output by the at least one sensor. The memory contains instructions to direct the processing unit to determine whether the shot is a made basket shot or a missed basket shot by comparing the at least one attribute of the shot to one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket, and to present on the output device to a person an output based on the determination of whether the shot is a made basket shot or a missed basket shot, and other information regarding the shot.