The following is a press release from Women's Professional Soccer --
WESTFORD, MA & SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 15, 2008) – Today, global sportlifestyle 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.
With the WPS partnership, PUMA further underlines its commitment to women’s soccer where it already has long-term partnerships with the likes of two-time FIFA™ World Player of the Year Marta da Silva of Brazil, who was drafted by the WPS Los Angeles Sol, U.S. National Team star Leslie Osborne, who will be playing for WPS in the Bay Area, defender Heather Mitts of the WPS
Boston Breakers, and several Club teams in Europe including Swedish champion’s Umea IK, UEFA Women’s Cup Champions in 2003 and 2004.
“To have PUMA, the world’s leading sportlifestyle brand, as a founding partner in Women’s Professional Soccer is a great endorsement for our league,” said Commissioner Tonya Antonucci. “We are proud to have PUMA’s commitment to support, supply and grow the league and we recognize the creative, stylish and unique ways PUMA will promote WPS and women’s soccer on the whole.”
PUMA will have a presence in each market and stadiums for WPS games, as well as the WPS All-Star Game, WPS playoffs and WPS Championship game. PUMA and WPS have agreed to cross-promotional marketing opportunities via national print media, online media and television. This agreement also marks PUMA as an official licensee of the WPS for items including on field and sportlifestyle apparel, footwear and a wide variety of accessories.
Today’s PUMA announcement coincides with the WPS league announcement about the 2009 WPS Draft, which will be held January 16, 2009 at the NSCAA Convention in St. Louis. As a founding partner of WPS, PUMA will begin immediate activation at the 2009 WPS Draft next month, hosting league interviews in its booth, providing product and visuals at the draft day ceremonies, and running other promotional activities around the occasion of the league’s first annual draft.
