PUMA King WPS Ball to Make Official On-Field Debut at WPS Inaugural Match

ST. LOUIS (January 15, 2008) – Women’s Professional Soccer Commissioner Tonya Antonucci unveiled the new PUMA® Official WPS Match Ball at the PUMA booth Thursday during the NSCAA Convention in St. Louis. The ball comes from the popular “PUMA King” line of performance products that boasts over four decades of soccer heritage. With a unique Jasmine Green colorway circling the ball, WPS logo and the PUMA Cat in WPS’ signature navy blue, the Official WPS Match Ball catches everyone’s eye with its graphics.

“To be using a PUMA King ball – a product line with half a century of soccer heritage – for the WPS Inaugural Season allows us to connect with the sport’s history, while also getting the best and newest ball technology,” said Commissioner Antonucci. “We’re pleased that PUMA came up with a color that provided so much visual pop and we look forward to seeing the ball being used in WPS practices and games all season long culminating with our championship.”

“PUMA designed the WPS Official Match Ball using innovative technology, stand-out design and bright, bold colors,” said Jay Piccola, President and General Manager for PUMA North America. “It was important for us to create an icon that would make a statement on the field and perform game after game, and I think we achieved something special with this new ball and are excited to see it in action with WPS.”

The ball unveiled in St. Louis will be used for the opening kick at the WPS Inaugural Match on March 29, 2009. After the first goal is scored, that ball will be taken out of play and kept for the player to sign and sent to the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum in Oneonta, New York to become part of its permanent collection of soccer artifacts. Two other game balls will be signed by the entire teams after the game and put on display at PUMA’s new corporate headquarters in Westford, MA, and WPS league headquarters in San Francisco. Any additional goal scorers will also sign match balls, which will then be auctioned off online with proceeds going to charity.

The PUMA King ball is constructed from 32 panels with equal surface area for reduced seam-stress and a perfectly round shape. Panels are hand-stitched using heavy gauge thread, which is pre-stretched and waxed. The seams and fine surface structure allow an even flow of air for a perfect aerodynamic performance. The ball features six wing latex bladder for superior touch and PUMA AIR LOCK valve for air retention. A FIFA Approved mark guarantees the highest level of performance and excellent size and shape retention, game after game.

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)

The mission of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is to be the premier women’s soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women’s professional sports are measured.  Play kicks off on March 29, 2009, with WPS teams based in the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.  The league expects to expand in 2010 with the addition of Atlanta and Philadelphia. For more information, visit www.womensprosoccer.com.

About PUMA

PUMA is one of the world’s leading sportlifestyle companies that designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories.  It is committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting Peace, Creativity, and SAFE Sustainability, and by staying true to the values of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative in decisions made and actions taken. PUMA starts in Sport and ends in Fashion. Its Sport Performance and Lifestyle labels include categories such as Football, Running, Motorsports, Golf and Sailing. The Black label features collaborations with renowned designers such as Alexander McQueen, Yasuhiro Mihara and Sergio Rossi. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Tretorn and Hussein Chalayan.  The company, which was founded in 1948, distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs more than 9,000 people worldwide and has headquarters in Herzogenaurach/Germany, Boston, London and Hong Kong.  For more information, please visit www.puma.com.          

Quote from President Steve Baumann, National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum:

 “The Hall of Fame looks forward to documenting this exciting new league, Women’s Professional Soccer,” Hall of Fame President Steve Baumann said.  “To begin that process by recording for posterity the scorer of the first WPS goal by displaying the signed ball from that goal is a great way to begin the WPS collection and display. We wish the league good fortune and anticipate many years of recording their history as the top women’s league in the world.”