Viking Announces Launch Plans for New Ball to Extend Platform Tennis Season

Press Release from Viking Athletics
January 17, 2012
Bordentown, NJ

Viking is pleased to announce plans to introduce a new ball which will extend the normal platform tennis playing season worldwide into a year-around sport. The new Viking Low Bounce platform tennis balls are set to arrive in March 2012, just as the normal platform season comes to an end.

Platform tennis is a sport played primarily in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. Due to the solid rubber core construction of a normal platform ball which produces a lively bounce during the cold winter months, this same ball becomes too fast and hard to control when the weather gets warm or in high altitude conditions.  Today, Viking is proud to announce the introduction of a new formula that combines the current construction of the Extra Duty ball with the feel and performance athletes expect from a normal platform tennis ball.

Viking, known as a leading innovator of platform tennis equipment, has been the Official Ball of all American Platform Tennis Association (APTA) National Championships since 1999. The brand raised the bar on overall ball quality in 2011 by introducing its Extra Duty Yellow ball for a more consistent bounce and longer lasting performance. This year, Viking expanded the line, as Pink and Orange colors were brought back by popular demand. Now, introducing the Low Bounce ball establishes Viking as the brand with the most extensive line of balls in sport.

“This revolutionary move by Viking clearly demonstrates the brand’s commitment to growing the sport and developing new innovative products which make the game easier and more fun to play” notes Scott Winters, Vice President, Indoor and Paddle Sports at Prince. Winters continues, “This ball has been in development for over two years and it hasn’t been easy keeping this project a secret. The feedback and excitement generated already has been amazing and we can’t wait to make this ball available to everyone. The Low Bounce ball is a great fit into our line and we are proud to be the brand that offers a perfect ball for every player anywhere platform tennis is played.”

The Low Bounce balls will be available from authorized Viking dealers in mid March 2012 in Yellow color. The ball will look similar to the current Viking Extra Duty Yellow ball. However, the logo color on the ball will be green and the green and silver packaging will differentiate this ball from the current Extra Duty balls in the line. Viking Low Bounce balls will be offered at the same $17.00 suggested retail price as Extra Duty balls for a sleeve of three balls.

About Viking Athletics

Viking Athletics, Ltd. has been an equipment leader in the sport of platform tennis since the company was founded in 1995. Viking offers the most complete line of high performance and game improvement platform tennis paddles, balls, bags, apparel and accessories including the OZ TM, the sport's best selling paddle for thirteen consecutive years. Viking is the Official Ball of all APTA National events.  Viking is also the unquestioned grass roots leader of the sport sponsoring the Viking Academy instructional clinics and the Viking Junior Tour dedicated to growing the sport through youth development programs.

For more information, please visit www.vikingathletics.com, www.vikingjuniortour.com, www.vikingacademy.com.  Viking Athletics is part of the Prince Sports, Inc. group of companies.