In The Laws of the Game 2008/2009, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) addresses both the physical qualities of the ball and what to do if a game ball becomes defective. After more than 100 years as an international governing body of association football, they seem to be quite clear on the rules.

Major League Lacrosse was founded in 1991 as a professional outdoor lacrosse league.  The current rules include the use of a shot clock and allow for a 2-point goal to be scored.  While the website does not contain specifications for the ball, the history section of the site does offer this interesting information regarding the lacrosse ball.

The National Lacrosse League consists of men’s professional indoor lacrosse or Box Lacrosse teams. While they have a 95 page Official Rule Book, the rule regarding the ball remains a mystery.

Lacrosse is a sport played when people run around hitting each other with sticks and throwing “rocks”, but not just any rocks these are specifically defined by the NCAA! SECTION 16. The ball shall be white, yellow, orange or lime green smooth or slightly textured solid rubber — between 7-3/4 and 8 inches in circumference, between 5 and 5-1/4 ounces in weight and, when dropped from a height of 72 inches upon a concrete floor, shall bounce 43 to 51 inches at a temperature of 65 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

There really is not ball in ice hockey, but we are big fans and do not want to leave out the sport.  A puck, which is round in two dimensions, is used in place of a ball.  The NCAA controls everything down to the color.

Who said bowling balls were boring?  The NCAA allows for normal wear and tear, but make sure to include a serial number before you roll the first ball.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules stipulate color, weight, size and number for the balls to be used in the sport of water polo. In addition, the ball must be waterproof and free of strappings and slippery coverings.

As the the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has a big challenge in setting the rules for 213 National federations of basketball throughout the world.

There are some references to the circumference of an NBA basketball; however, there is nothing about circumference in the rules. NBA only lists the pressure in the rules governing equipment.

From the Official Rules of the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) published in 2014, the requirements are fairly simple and straight-forward.