City Football Group Seals Global Puma Deal
Puma is to replace Nike as the exclusive kit supplier for current Premier League champions Manchester City.
The German sportswear brand has agreed a global long-term partnership with City Football Group to equip Manchester City, as well as sister clubs in Australia, Spain, Uruguay and China.
Puma Chief Executive Bjørn Gulden (pictured above, right) has described the deal as the largest Puma had ever done.
Coming into effect in July this year, Puma will become the official partner of Manchester City FC, Melbourne City FC, Girona FC, Club Atletico Torque and Sichuan Jiunia FC.
City Football Group last week added Sichuan Jiunia FC to its portfolio – its seventh club, having bought a stake in the Chinese third-tier club.
MLS side New York City and Yokohoma F. Marinos in Japan, who complete the City Football Group stable, are the only sides to not feature in the arrangement.
The partnership will see Puma supply all representative teams across men’s, women’s and youth football.
Commenting on the agreement, Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Group (pictured above, left), said: “This announcement marks the start of an exciting new chapter for City Football Group.
“Our relationship with PUMA, covering five City Football Group clubs across four continents, will reset the model for sports partnerships on a truly global scale whilst being locally relevant and authentic for fans around the world.
“PUMA share our vision for challenging expectations, and we are looking forward to what we believe will be a ground-breaking partnership.”
Puma CEO, Gulden, added: “Puma’s partnership with City Football Group is the largest deal that we have ever done – both in scope and ambition.
“We are very excited to partner with City Football Group, whose success, ambition and drive for innovation has seen them setting new standards, on and off the field.
“We look forward to building the most innovative partnership in football by redefining the sports partnership model both on and off the pitch.
“We want to maximise on-field performance as well as football culture, in areas such as music, gaming and fashion to connect and inspire the fanbase of each team.”
Puma has already several player partnerships running with a number of Manchester City players, including Sergio Agüero, David Silva, Vincent Kompany and member’s of the women’s team, Caroline Weir, Pauline Bremer and Nikita Parris.
The sportswear manufacturer already has deals with a number of European clubs including Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Marseille.
