NAIROBI, Kenya, March 25 – This year’s official match ball for the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) was unveiled Tuesday by German firm Puma in Nairobi.
The ball branded ‘Puma KBL match’ will be use starting this weekend with each of the 16 clubs in the competition supplied with 20 to see them through the season.
Puma and KPL entered into a deal in 2012 with the current contract expiring next year.
The ball, which depicts logos of the KPL and Tusker, is constructed from 32 panels with equal surface areas for reduced seam stress and near perfect round shape.
The PU panel with under-glass design provides soft touch and high abrasion resistance. Panels are strengthened with multi-layered polyester; viscose and blended backing for enhanced stability, with the backing laminated with a layer of natural latex for increased water repellence.
Panels are hand stitched using heavy gauge thread; which is pre-stretched and waxed. The seams allow an even flow of air for a perfect aerodynamic performance, a six-wing latex bladder for superior touch and Puma Air Lock valve for air retention.
The FIFA Approved mark guarantees the highest level of performance and excellent size and shape retention, game after game.
Speaking during the unveiling, KPL and Gor Mahia chairman, Ambrose Rachier, said the agreement with the firm had saved clubs the prohibitive cost of procuring balls.
“One of the greatest challenges in KPL clubs is financial constraints we experience every day so any enterprise that saves us a coin must be welcome and that’s why I thank Puma for coming to our aid and reducing the cost of acquisition of balls.
“As experienced over the last two years the Puma match ball has helped in increasing the pace of the game and competitiveness in the league,” Rachier stated.
“We have seen the competitiveness gone up and using the PUMA balls has ensured that our players enjoy the game with the standard ball in the entire season,” KPL CEO, Jack Oguda, added.
Puma Head of Marketing for Middle East Africa, Abdelhamid Oraibi, represented the firm at the launch.
