PUMA scores big with Women’s Professional Soccer

Just prior to the start of the Women’s Professional Soccer season, global sport lifestyle brand PUMA and WPS announced an exclusive partnership making PUMA an official founding partner of the new league and an official sponsor of all WPS franchises.

The multi-year partnership makes PUMA the official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of WPS, including the official WPS Match Ball. In addition to on-field performance wear, PUMA will outfit the athletes and teams at all WPS-related events, activities and WPS appearances in sportlifestyle apparel. This partnership kicked off last month  and will see PUMA collaborating with WPS to enhance the game of women’s soccer and will act as the foundation in the PUMA Women’s category.

That’s just the start for PUMA, which will have its name and logo on the league’s balls, uniforms, goalkeeper equipment, even sports bras. “Women’s soccer is on a tremendous growth pattern in the U.S.,” says Jochen Zeitz, chief executive of PUMA. “This is a huge opportunity for us.”

PUMA’s decision to join forces with WPS is part of an effort to target its marketing to young women. The company already has a footwear deal with Brazilian star Marta Vieira da Silva  who is widely recognized as the best female soccer player in the world and  currently playing for the Los Angeles Sol. PUMA also has a deal with U.S. national team player Leslie Osborne, who will be playing for FC Gold Pride.

Given PUMA’s name recognition and reach in soccer, the deal is a milestone for the new women’s league especially amid a global recession so kudos to PUMA.

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Women’s Professional Soccer scores deal with PUMA

December 15, 2008 – Global sport lifestyle brand PUMA and Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced an exclusive partnership making PUMA an official founding partner of  WPS and an official sponsor of all WPS  franchises.

The multi-year partnership makes PUMA the official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of WPS, including the official WPS Match Ball.  In addition to on-field performance wear, PUMA will outfit the athletes and teams at all WPS-related events, activities and WPS appearances in sportlifestyle apparel. This partnership kicks off with the inaugural season in April 2009 and will see PUMA collaborating with WPS to enhance the game of women’s soccer and will act as the foundation in the PUMA Women’s category.  (via press release)

According to the WSJ, the German shoe manufacturer and clothing retailer will pay roughly $10 million to become the official equipment supplier to WPS. That means that if players in the seven-team league don’t have existing deals with other cleat makers (e.g. Abby Wambach and Nike), they will wear PUMAS during WPS games.

That’s just the start for PUMA, which will have its name and logo on the league’s balls, uniforms, goalkeeper equipment, even sports bras. “Women’s soccer is on a tremendous growth pattern in the U.S.,” says Jochen Zeitz, chief executive of PUMA. “This is a huge opportunity for us.”

PUMA ranks third by sales behind Nike and Adidas in the global athletic-footwear market and fifth in the U.S. Its decision to join forces with WPS is part of an effort to target its marketing to young women. The company already has a footwear deal with Brazilian star Marta Vieira da Silva, who is widely recognized as the best female soccer player in the world, and is expected to play in WPS. PUMA also has a deal with U.S. national team player Leslie Osborne, who will be playing for FC Gold Pride.

If I remember correctly, Nike provided uniforms for some of the now defunct WUSA teams, which may have led girls and their moms to assume the company was providing key corporate support. I believe, however, Nike declined a league invitation to be its exclusive sponsor and failed to provide help when the league needed it most.

Given PUMA’s name recognition and reach in soccer, the deal is a milestone for the new women’s league especially amid a global recession so kudos to PUMA.

Soccer: ACL injuries hamper WNT

June 12, 2008 - The three most dreaded letters in the alphabet for a female athlete are A. C. L.

Veteran soccer player Cat Whitehill learned the hard way. The star defender dreamed of playing in the Olympics this year, joining a new women’s pro league next year and then playing for the U.S. in the London Games in 2012.

But Whitehill’s dream of earning a second Olympic gold medal was at least put on hold Tuesday as she injured her left knee as the Women’s National Team trained in Seoul, South Korea. An MRI on Tuesday night indicated that Whitehill had torn an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and will miss the 2008 Olympics.

Whitehill, 26, played every minute of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She has played 129 times for the USA and was a likely candidate for the USA’s 18-player roster for the 2008 Olympics. The two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Alabama won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and also played a key role for the USA at the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“Obviously, it’s a huge disappointment coming so close to a major tournament,” Whitehill said in a U.S. Soccer release. “I’ve gotten a lot of hugs from my teammates and everyone on the team has been really supportive. It’s still a shock, especially since it’s the first major injury of my career, but now it’s time to go home, have surgery and spend time with my husband and be a good mom to my dog. I’ll be watching the team and cheering in front of the TV.”

The blow to the U.S. team comes just 19 days after the USA lost midfielder Leslie Osborne, also a likely Olympic Team member, to an ACL tear. Whitehill will have about an eight-month period of rehabilitation. Defender Stephanie Cox will travel to South Korea to replace Whitehill on the roster for the Peace Queen Cup as well as in the pool of 22 players being considered for spots on the 2008 Olympic Team.

Following the World Cup…a Roman Holiday

When in Rome … don’t play futbol. For 10 days in early November, Heather O’Reilly, Lindsay Tarpley and midfielder Leslie Osborne relinquished their U.S. women’s national team jerseys for Roma’s maroon and orange kit. But don’t think the trio will become devoted to fandom anytime soon — they would rather stick to the pitch.

After coaching decisions left the U.S. women polarized following a third-place finish in China, a Roman holiday was in order. Michelangelo’s statue of David might not be the FIFA World Cup trophy, but it wasn’t a bad substitute for Ozzy, Tarp and Heo.

Breakaway goals and flanking runs are no match for backpacking in Italy; These gals endured soccer riots, while surviving midnight swims, enigmatic bike tours, endless pasta and vast quantities of espresso. A few days fresh off their trip, the three travelers gave ESPNsoccernet the lowdown. 

Full story at ESPNsoccernet