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Brands and owners
Who makes bowling balls?
Most of the big names on a pro shop wall come from two companies. Here is who owns which brand, and what USBC's approved ball list shows about who is still releasing new balls.
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Storm Products
Storm, Roto Grip and 900 Global. Storm's site also carries 3G shoes and Master accessories. The company started out as High Score Products, founded by Bill Chrisman in 1985.
Brunswick
Brunswick, DV8 and Radical, plus Ebonite, Hammer and Track, which Brunswick bought from Ebonite International in November 2019.
Motiv
Motiv makes its balls at its own factory in Muskegon, Michigan, and has made products there for more than 30 years.
The brands, side by side
The counts come from USBC's Approved Ball List, the record of every ball approved for USBC-certified competition since 1991. We counted the rows in the version dated 20 October 2026.
| Brand | Owner | Balls on the USBC list | Newest approval | Approved Oct 2025 to Oct 2026 | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storm | Storm Products | about 1,000 | Oct 2026 | 52 | Storm on Amazon |
| Roto Grip | Storm Products | about 470 | Oct 2026 | 19 | Roto Grip on Amazon |
| 900 Global | Storm Products | about 380 | Sep 2026 | 21 | 900 Global on Amazon |
| Brunswick | Brunswick | about 750 | Oct 2026 | 33 | Brunswick on Amazon |
| Ebonite | Brunswick (since 2019) | about 820 | Oct 2026 | 20 | Ebonite on Amazon |
| Hammer | Brunswick (since 2019) | about 660 | Oct 2026 | 34 | Hammer on Amazon |
| Track | Brunswick (since 2019) | about 360 | Oct 2026 | 13 | Track on Amazon |
| Radical | Brunswick | about 170 | Oct 2026 | 15 | Radical on Amazon |
| DV8 | Brunswick | about 140 | Oct 2026 | 7 | DV8 on Amazon |
| Columbia 300 | Brunswick (since 2019), retirement reported 2026 | about 550 | Mar 2026 | 4 | |
| Motiv | Motiv | about 220 | Sep 2026 | 15 | Motiv on Amazon |
| Swag | Not covered here | about 130 | Oct 2026 | 24 | |
| ABS | Not covered here | about 310 | Oct 2026 | 6 | |
| AMF | Not covered here | about 200 | Jun 2018 | 0 |
Our count, from the USBC list dated 20 October 2026. Each colour or version of a ball is its own row, so a brand's total counts listings, not distinct designs. Totals are rounded because the PDF's layout makes an exact count unreliable. "Not covered here" means we haven't confirmed who owns the brand.
What the list shows
The list holds about 8,100 listings from about 160 brand names. In the 12 months to October 2026, only 27 of those brands had a new ball approved. Storm had the most new approvals in that period, followed by Hammer and Brunswick. Swag, a smaller name, approved more new balls than several of the older brands.
Some names that were big decades ago have gone quiet. AMF's newest approval on the list is from June 2018.
What happened to Columbia 300
Columbia 300 was one of the brands Brunswick got in its 2019 purchase of Ebonite International. In March 2026, the trade site Bowling Life reported that Brunswick was retiring the brand. We haven't found an announcement from Brunswick itself. Columbia 300 no longer appears among the brands on Brunswick's site, and its newest ball on the USBC list is from March 2026.
What USBC approval means
USBC publishes the Approved Ball List and updates it weekly. A ball on the list is approved for use in USBC-certified competition. The list's notes add three points:
- Older balls: balls made before the list began in January 1991 count as approved. Whether they are accepted is up to the tournament director or league official.
- House balls may be used even though they aren't on the list.
- Small balls: a double asterisk marks balls made only in weights under 13 pounds.
USBC also keeps a list of non-conforming balls. A separate national tournament ineligible list applies to events such as the U.S. Open, the USBC Masters and the PWBA tour. Both are linked from USBC's equipment specifications page. If you bowl in a certified league, a ball from any brand in the table above is fine as long as it is on the approved list. To check yours, use our USBC approved ball lookup.
Does the brand matter?
Less than the ball type does, in our view. Every brand in the table except AMF had a new ball approved in the past year. Start with the type of ball and the lanes you bowl on, then compare brands within that type:
- New to hooking the ball? Read choosing a ball or take the which ball quiz.
- Choosing a coverstock? See urethane vs reactive and how bowling balls work.
- Matching a ball to a pattern? Start with the oil pattern library.
- Comparing specific balls? The ball spec table lists RG, differential and coverstock for every current ball we track from these brands.
Common questions
Who owns Hammer bowling balls?
Brunswick. Brunswick bought Ebonite International's brands in November 2019, and the deal included Hammer, Ebonite, Track and Columbia 300.
Who owns Roto Grip and 900 Global?
Storm Products. Storm's own site presents Storm, Roto Grip and 900 Global as its ball brands.
Where are Motiv bowling balls made?
Motiv says it makes its bowling balls at its own factory in Muskegon, Michigan.
Is my bowling ball legal for league play?
Check USBC's Approved Ball List. It covers balls approved since January 1991, and USBC updates it weekly. Balls made before the list began count as approved, at the league or tournament official's discretion.
Which bowling ball brand is best?
No brand wins on every lane. Pick the type of ball first, by coverstock and the lanes you bowl on, then compare brands within that type.
Sources: USBC, Approved Ball List (PDF dated 20 October 2026; our count); USBC, "Brunswick Acquires Ebonite International" (15 November 2019); brunswickbowling.com (brand list); Storm Products, About Storm Products; Motiv, Made in the USA; Bowling Life, Columbia 300 retirement report (10 March 2026). All checked 21 October 2026.