PARIS: Nike has become the latest global brand to show its support for women’s football with two major developments recently.
Firstly, it has been named the official match ball supplier for all UEFA competitions including starting with this season’s Women’s Champions League and ending at the Euro 2021 Championships. It is the second brand after Visa to become the main sponsor of European women’s football ever since the governing body took the bold step of breaking down the traditional sports sponsorship model by unbundling the sponsorship rights from the men’s game.
During the three-year period, Nike will also partner the UEFA in its #WePlayStrong campaign. The American giant has reiterated its commitment to the growth of the game by backing UEFA’s five-year strategic plan to cement football as the leading female team sport in Europe.
UEFA head of women’s football Nadine Kessler stated: “We are delighted to have such a prestigious global brand such as Nike, who are committed to equality within sport and renowned for empowering female athletes all over the world.
“Becoming the official match ball supplier and supporter of UEFA Women’s Football across our competitions and campaigns, including Together #WePlayStrong, not only sends a powerful message that the game is now being judged and supported on its own merits, it underlines also its important milestones beyond the field of play.
Nike VP and GM EMEA Bert Hoyt added: “Nike and UEFA share a common ambition, and that is for women’s football to realise its enormous potential.
“UEFA’s competitions represent the elite of club and international football and through our unparalleled innovation and support of the women’s game from elite to grassroots level, we will grow football for the next generation of young female players.”
In Paris, Nike unveiled brand new kits of 14 out of the 24 national teams it is sponsoring at this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. The United States, Canada, France, England and Australia were among the teams whose kits were released at an event in Paris, graced by 28 of the world’s top women footballers.
Besides jerseys, Nike took the opportunity to reveal its innovations across the women’s wear category courtesy new products such as a high-tech sports bra and World Cup-inspired apparel.
“I think right now there is just incredible momentum in women’s sports and we are excited to support and inspire this next generation of female athletes heading into this World Cup,” Nike VP of global categories Amy Montagne was quoted as saying to Business Insider.
Wall Street brokerage firm Bernstein claims that in the second quarter of FY 2018-2019, Nike women’s sporting gear pulled in $7 billion in revenues around the world, which is 1.5 times greater than that of men.
At the same event, it also announced partnerships with the WNBA, FIBA and the Chinese Basketball Association to grow women’s basketball as well.
Meanwhile, at the collegiate level, Nike is partnering with more than 200 universities across the US to support more than 25,000 top female athletes across multiple sports.
