why is the black and white football designed that way

The black and white design of the football (soccer ball) was primarily created to enhance visibility on black-and-white television screens. Before this design, soccer balls were typically brown leather, which appeared as indistinct gray blobs on black-and-white TVs, making it difficult for viewers to follow the ball during matches. The black and white pattern, featuring 12 black pentagons and 20 white hexagons, was introduced with the Adidas Telstar ball in the 1970 FIFA World Cup. This high-contrast design not only made the ball easier to see on screen but also gave it a nearly perfect spherical shape, improving gameplay consistency. Additionally, the black pentagons help players gauge the ball's rotation for better foot placement and control. This design became iconic and has remained a symbol of soccer worldwide despite the evolution of television technology and ball designs over time.