According to reports in The Austin Chronicle from 2000, the experience taught Broyles more about what it really means to be lonely.

In Cast Away, the volleyball is named Wilson. Now, you’re married to the wonderful Rita Wilson, who I love, I adore, we all do,” Sean said on the podcast. “Was that by design because it could have been called Spalding?” Unlike Tom Hanks in the film, she was left trying to survive in cold climates, with just a cat who had been aboard the ship for company.

He was eventually rescued in 1709, four years after his arrival, when a ship came by and took him aboard.

Nowadays, production companies want big money for product placement. But at the time, that wasn’t really the case,” explains Director of Basketball, Volleyball, and Soccer, Mike Kuehne. “But they just wanted the balls.” After receiving the photo, the team didn’t hear from Fox Studios again until the film was set to begin industry screenings in LA. And assoon as the screenings began, calls started rolling in.

This replica of the actual ball used in the movie has a top-quality, synthetic leather cover for great touch and feel. Nate Smith (January 7, 2001). " Cast Away proves great films still exist". Daily Gazette. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011 . Retrieved November 26, 2008. Rice, Nicholas (April 16, 2022). "Tom Hanks Brings Out Cast Away Costar Wilson for First Pitch at Cleveland Guardians Game". people.com . Retrieved April 16, 2022. Cast Away' Delivers Goods For Fedex". Chicago Tribune. 2001. Archived from the original on February 24, 2014 . Retrieved October 23, 2014. But in 1998, a call came into Team Sports Communications Manager Molly Wallace that was unlike any she’d ever received.