THE Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) FC Ilorin and sports kit maker, Puma has signed a five-year deal that will see the clothing line supplying kit to players and officials of the football club.
Speaking during the signing of the deal in Ilorin at the weekend, the brand manager of Persianas Retail Ltd, Puma official Franchisee in Nigeria, Aderemi Adefolabi, said that it was attracted by the quality of ABS Ilorin FC.
Adefolabi, explained that the company’s research had showed that the club was among football clubs in Nigeria that had developed players in the past years.
“We want to grow sports in Africa and Nigeria is the number one nation to start.
“Our research revealed to us that there are many players across Nigeria Premier League clubs that started their career with the Saraki Boys.
“We were delighted and comfortable with such a club helping the youth to achieve their dream of playing football at the highest level.
“We were almost concluding our investigations when the club U-15 team won the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) U-15 Promises tournament in Lagos.
“The U-15 victory at the tournament vindicated our resolve to partner and sponsor the club,” Adefolabi said.
She said the 5-year deal had an option of renewal, adding that the company was looking beyond the 2022 that the deal was scheduled to end.
Adefolabi said that the partnership was in line with Puma’s commitment to the growth and development of sports in Nigeria.
She explained that ABS FC had shown potentials of being a great club not just in Nigeria, but also in Africa, adding that it informed PUMA’s decision to provide the necessary support for it to achieve its potentials.
She also said that the company’s findings revealed that there was no incidence of crowd violence or attack on Match officials during the Saraki Boys games.
Adefolabi also mentioned the award given to the club by players union for commitment to players and officials welfare as well as a solid administrative structure and financial transparency.
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