Seriously.  Aside from the fact they may create a ball with a different cover, what other reason would they have to discontinue a really good ball?  All too often I read about balls (new) that have similar characteristics as older counterparts.  Do the high performance balls lack longevity?  Is it me or did urethane balls last a great deal longer?  Or are the 'elements' playing a greater part in this?

What's your opinion?

Vernon
--------------------
Caring people make a difference!!!  All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing

9~ ... it would be nice to see a 'MTBF' posted on box..  just like light bulbs, hard drives, etc.  I understand what you're saying, but let's take the Ultimate Inferno for example.  Months ago, everyone was talking about this ball.  It was a 'must have' ball.  I'm wondering if this ball will survive after year end!
--------------------
Caring people make a difference!!!  All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing

Ball comes out on October 1st say for example. If the ball is not a great seller, usually they will discontinue it by October 1st of next year, when they replace it with something that will hopefully sell better than that one. Companies are always trying to get an edge by releasing a ball with one core/cover combo, then a month or 2 later, releasing the same ball with a different cover and maybe a slight tweak to the core. After doing this with 3-4 balls (reactive solid/pearl, particle solid/pearl), they come out with a new ball with a new core and maybe an old cover and start the process all over again. With so many companies out there and so many balls to choose from, the market is flooded and for one company to stay with the reset of the competition, they will immedaitely drop one ball or line off of their  current offerings to make room for the new stuff that will hopefully get them more sales and more $$$. Look at how many V2's and/or Vortex's have come and gone in the last 4 years since the V2 Solid came out:

Vortex 1
Vortex 3 TPS
V2 Pearl
V2 Particle
Vortex Afterburner
V2 Dry

Soon will be the V2 Clean followed by the V2 Strong I am sure once they come up with other covers that will "create" a new ball.

Its all how they sell; a lot and they stay, not a lot and they go as soon as they can be replaced.
--------------------
I've laid more pipe in this town than Wabasha Plumbing Company!

Vernon,

Marketing a ball at the wrong color and having a "good" ball not sell solely because of the color is a good reason why companies do discontinue balls. They will sometimes re-issue the ball under a new name and a new color scheme. Sometimes it is virtually identical because enough users screamed long enough and loud enough. A prime example of this is the Sapphire Blue Zone reincarnated as the Parker Bohn III MVP ball.
Sometimes they just discontinue colors, like the Power Groove Ice Blue and reissue new colors with the same name, like the Silver/Purple and the Red/Tal Power Grooves.


--------------------
"We get old too fast, and too late, smart."