NFF, Nike sign new kit deal

[FlyJ]

 

The Nigeria Football Federation and international kit company Nike have announced a new partnership in which the largely American-based firm will design and develop football kits for the country’s national teams.

 

The deal, which was tied up in London on Thursday, takes effect from April 1 until at least 2018.

 

The Flying Eagles will be the first team to wear the new kit when they campaign at the FIFA U20 World Cup which starts in New Zealand on May 31.

 

The NFF President Amaju Pinnick said in London, “This exciting partnership with Nike signifies our commitment towards building and strengthening a successful football future in Nigeria. The game enjoys a huge following across the country and we want to fuel participation and ultimately the success of our future national teams.”

 

The Nike Africa VP/General Manager Laurent Payre responded, “We are very pleased to partner with the Nigeria Football Federation, one of Africa’s premier teams. The passion for football in Nigeria is renowned and Nike is committed to supporting and advancing the game at all levels through inspiration and innovation for young men and women.”

 

Nigeria’s previous contract with German firm, Adidas, ended in December after the company decided not to renew due to contractual disagreements. Attempts made by the last NFF board and the current one to get Adidas back on the table failed. It meant that the Nigerian teams had to play for the months following the contract termination without any official kits partner but were forced to use their reserve kits from the Adidas supply.

 

But by the new deal with Nike, the firm will design performance and training apparel, and equipment, including team kits and footballs, for the Nigerian national football team players at every level of the game. There will be an exclusive-edition team kit for all NFF teams until the 2016-17 kit launches in mid-2016. In addition, Nike will design an assortment of products for Nigerians to show their support for the national team, to be available from mid-2016.

 

The details of the partnership listed by the federation states that Nike will supply performance and training kits to all nine of the Nigerian teams at every level – including the men’s and women’s senior teams; men’s and women’s U-20 teams, men’s and women’s U-17 teams, men’s and women’s Olympic teams, and the men’s beach football team.

 

The latest deal means that Nigeria returns to Nike’s portfolio of federation sponsorships. Nigeria had a Nike partnership in the late 1990s. The other major countries in the Nike portfolio are Australia, Brazil, England, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea and the United States.

 

Returnee Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, and the NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanussi, were also in the Nigerian team to the deal signing ceremony.

 

 

Source

[Calllaris]

Stephen Keshi is the better indigenous man for this job, Nigerians and NFF knows this. 'Issue most people had with him was his penchant for taking sole decision's alone owing to his position and experience- sometimes, this is good leadership traits but being extreme is not cute. In his new contract, NFF has kept a tighter leash on him as he is expected to take decisions under the supervision of the Technical Committee of the NFF. Also some NFF members threatened to resign if he was given the job. Its high time "we" stopped taking "these" things personal and aim for greater successes together. I am glad for the handshake with Nike and for Keshi's return. I am glad the federal government insisted on his return, because he is the best man for the job. I am also glad that his ego has been separated from the height of his position and we all can work together as team, all on same page. Mostly glad though that Nigeria football, especially the "senior team" will "giant" forward. We will see.

[dequeen]

Hope they know being the first to wear the kit doesn't guarantee victory? flying chickens.