England cricketer Flintoff signs for Puma
01/12/2008
Sports apparel and footwear brand Puma has announced that former England cricket captain and current international Andrew (Freddie) Flintoff has joined its list of sponsored athletes.
The all-rounder will play in Puma footwear, using the brand’s cricket equipment (including bats), as well as wearing its sportslifestyle ranges off the pitch.
Commenting on the four-year deal, Andrew Flintoff said: “As a brand, Puma goes beyond the performance needs of cricketers. The company addresses design and individualism in a way that perfectly meets my interests and expectations, including being the first to introduce a pink cricket bat. Its innovation in cricket is unparalleled. I’m really excited to be joining the brand and looking forward to developing the relationship throughout the next stage of my career.”
Richard Callaway, head of sport at Puma UK, commented: “Be it on or off the cricket pitch, there is no doubt that Freddie completely embodies the brand through his passion, style and individualism. We revolutionised the game of cricket with a new way of looking at product. Dynamic players such as Adam Gilchrist (Australia), Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) and Andrew Flintoff demand ever higher levels of performance, modern designs, innovative thinking and new technology. We are confident that this will be a successful and exciting partnership for both parties.”
The company has also announced that its 2009 cricket collection is 100% PVC free. It described this development as “a huge leap forward” in product development and environmental responsibility, while allowing it to make products that, it said, are of higher quality and lighter weight.
PVC has traditionally been used in the production of cricket equipment because of its low cost and high durability. Everything from bat labels to the facing of batting pads and gloves has historically used PVC in their construction. However, Puma said it had taken the decision to change because of the difficulties involved in making PVC and disposing of it at the end of product lifecycles.
Mr Callaway said on this subject: “Working closely with our global cricket suppliers, we believe 100% PVC free has significantly improved the quality and performance of our entire cricket product.”
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