If reports are to believed then it looks like the end of one era and the beginning of another in Serie A, with PUMA apparently set to take over from Nike as the official ball supplier for the Italian league.
Nike have been the official match ball supplier to Serie A since the 2007/08 season, but after 15 years it looks as if the American brand is set to step aside. Prior to Nike’s affiliation with the league, Serie A did not have a league-wide supplier, with each team instead supplying their own match balls. So while reports that PUMA are to step in and pick up the contract at the end of this season are yet to be confirmed, if it does come to pass (and all suggestions are that it will) it would make the German brand only the second ball supplier in the league’s history.
PUMA and Serie A already have an affiliation through the Women’s game, with the brand being the match ball supplier since 2019. They have also supplied the match ball for certain youth competitions. As well as this, from the start of the 2019/20 season they took on the La Liga contract, again from Nike and again following a long affiliation.
Meanwhile Nike’s influence in Serie A has been dwindling over the last few years. The height of Nike’s time in Italy came in the 2014/15 season, when they had not only the match ball, but Inter, Roma, Juventus, Atalanta and Hellas Verona all wearing their kits in the top flight. Now though, the Swoosh only have the Nerazzurri, and it looks like they’re losing the match ball as well.
While the reasons behind the partnership between Nike and Serie A coming to an end are as of yet unknown, it's yet another sign of the Swoosh seemingly taking a step back from its involvement in football.
Pick up the 21/22 La Liga match ball at prodirectsoccer.com. Could be a piece of history...
