North Carolina FC Youth ( NCFC Youth ) is an American soccer club and eponymous league based in Raleigh, North Carolina , and serving the greater Research Triangle . It is the largest youth-to-professional soccer club in the country.
63-544: NCFC Youth was founded as Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) in 1974 as a not-for-profit organization and provides recreational and competitive programs for youth in the greater Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area. NCFC Youth offers teams in all divisions of North Carolina youth soccer including "classic" (first tier competitive teams in US regional and statewide leagues), "challenge" (second tier competitive teams locally), and recreational soccer. NCFC Youth "classic" teams compete at
126-522: A "fear-based" environment made by players against Aaran Lines for his tenure as head coach of the Western New York Flash , and the report also noted that Lines had remained a member of the Flash organization as director of its ECNL team. The Yates Report referenced an unnamed coach who had been sanctioned by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for making "sexually explicit remarks to high school players" but
189-517: A 1943 Allied bomb attack. Adi and his wife climbed into a bomb shelter that Rudolf and his family were already in. "Here are the bloody bastards again," Adi remarked, apparently referring to the Allied war planes, but Rudolf, due to his apparent insecurity, was convinced his brother meant him and his family. When Rudolf was later picked up by American soldiers and accused of being a member of the Waffen SS , he
252-1083: A 5% stake in German football club Borussia Dortmund , and has been its supplier since 2012. In 2014, Puma and Arsenal Football Club entered a 5-year merchandising partnership, the biggest deal in Puma and Arsenal's history. The partnership ended in 2019. Other football clubs include Barrow A.F.C. , Manchester City F.C. , Fenerbahçe S.K. , Galatasaray S.K. , Olympique de Marseille , Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras , Borussia Mönchengladbach , Lillestrøm SK , Valencia CF , AC Milan , Peñarol , US Sassuolo , Club de Fútbol Monterrey , Bengaluru FC , Chennaiyin FC , Mumbai City FC , Universidad Católica , Universitatea Craiova , Kawasaki Frontale , Yokohama FC , Shimizu S-Pulse , Cerezo Osaka and many others. National football teams include Guinea , Ghana , Ivory Coast , Iceland , New Zealand , Senegal , Switzerland , Austria , Morocco and Egypt . In athletics (track and field), Puma sponsors
315-843: A Re:Generation, which aims to develop the brand's 'sustainable journey' through involving the 'recommendations' and 'perspectives' of the next generation. Voices of Re:Generation is made up of young activists in Europe and the U.S. ranging from 12 to 30 years old. They take action through protests, rallies, petitions, and partnerships with major companies, like Puma. The initiative features figures like Alice Aedy and Andrew Burgess, who aim to make sustainability more transparent and resonate with Gen Z. It also seeks to combat "greenwashing" through actionable steps and inclusivity. As teen spending power grows, Puma’s focus on environmental priorities aligns with this demographic's values, complementing other Gen Z-focused efforts like metaverse projects. Puma's focus on
378-527: A break of almost 20 years, and appointed Jay-Z as the division's creative director. Marvin Bagley III , Deandre Ayton , Zhaire Smith , and Michael Porter Jr. are the first players to join Puma's basketball roster and play in performance Puma basketball shoes. In December 2021, the brand launched High Court, its first women's basketball line, designed by creative director June Ambrose . Puma made its partnership with netball after 28 years by sponsoring
441-473: A high sustainability rating, a high level of transparency, and a low amount of CO 2 produced when someone visits their website. Puma utilizes social media marketing activities (SMMA) to leverage customer purchases in Indonesia and boost brand awareness, brand image, and brand equity. Purchase intention was significantly influenced by brand awareness caused by SMMA. When consumers are more aware of Puma and have
504-569: A new firm that he called "Ruda", from "Ru" in Rudolf and "Da" in Dassler. A few months later, Rudolf's company changed its name to Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler. Puma and Adidas entered a fierce and bitter rivalry after the split. The town of Herzogenaurach was divided on the issue, leading to the nickname "the town of bent necks"—people looked down to see which shoes strangers wore. In the first football match after World War II in 1948, several members of
567-400: A positive image of the brand, they are more likely to purchase its products. Puma's social media marketing strategies have a direct effect on purchase intentions, which is a leading indicator of actual sales, especially in the middle class. Through supply chain finance, Puma helps suppliers avoid cash flow issues by offering early payment on invoices, reducing costs and risk. The company uses
630-459: A third to €480.6 million. In early April, Puma's shares rose €29.25 per share, or about 10.2%, to €315.24 per share. On 10 April, the French conglomerate PPR (which became Kering in 2013) announced that it had bought a 27% stake in Puma, clearing the way for a full takeover. The deal valued Puma at €5.3 billion. PPR said that it would launch a friendly takeover of Puma, worth €330 a share, once
693-546: Is a German multinational corporation who design and manufacture athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories, headquartered in Herzogenaurach , Bavaria , Germany . Puma is the third largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. The company was founded in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler (1898–1974). In 1924, Rudolf and his brother Adolf "Adi" Dassler had jointly formed the company Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik ('Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory'). The relationship between
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#1733105355772756-529: Is a national youth soccer developmental league in the United States. It was founded in 2009 as a girls' league and added a boys' league in 2017. The ECNL is divided by age groups from U-13 through U-19, and into nine (girls') or ten (boys') regional conferences of nine to 16 clubs. Clubs play regular season matches within their conferences, and top teams and wildcards can qualify for a post-season national round-robin champions' league competition. Winners of
819-425: Is also known for boosting positive environmental practices in its supply chain through financial incentives. The supply chain finance scheme implemented links the sustainability performance of key suppliers to the costs at which they can access finance. Puma managed to limit the carbon emissions that emanate from its supply chain through employing more eco-friendly and less carbon intensive materials. The system won
882-634: Is using Uyghur forced labour in camps provided by the Anhui Hunao Group Co. ltd for production. In May 2011, English newspaper The Guardian stated that Puma was the "world's first major company to put a value on its environmental impact" and that Puma "has made a commitment that within four years, half its international collections will be manufactured according to its internal sustainability standard, by using more sustainable materials such as recycled polyester, as well as ensuring its suppliers develop more sustainable materials and products." Puma
945-526: The 1960 Summer Olympics , Puma paid German sprinter Armin Hary to wear Pumas in the 100-metre sprint final. Hary had previously worn Adidas products and approached Adolf for compensation. However, Adidas declined the request. Despite winning a gold medal in Pumas, Hary chose to wear Adidas during the medals ceremony, surprising the two Dassler brothers. Hary seemingly aimed to benefit financially from both brands, but Adolf
1008-894: The 2021 NWSL abuse scandal and led to two separate investigations into alleged abuses within the league, including Dames. US Club Soccer disqualified Dames from coaching in November 2021 following the NWSL reports. Dames also resigned as president of Eclipse Select. The Report of the Independent Investigation to the U.S. Soccer Federation Concerning Allegations of Abusive Behavior and Sexual Misconduct in Women's Professional Soccer , an independent report by Sally Yates commissioned by U.S. Soccer in 2021, noted that other ECNL club administrators were associated with other abuse allegations, either directly or indirectly. The report included complaints of
1071-734: The Australian Strategic Policy Institute accused at least 82 major brands, including Puma, of being connected to forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang . In 2022, researchers from Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences identified cotton from Xinjiang in Puma shirts. Research of the social democratic party in the European Parliament, the Sheffield Hallam University and further groups showed in December 2023 Puma
1134-540: The Melbourne Vixens in 2018, and became the official apparel sponsor of New Zealand's national netball team, the Silver Ferns . Golfers such as Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson are equipped by Puma's golf brand Cobra Golf. Puma is the main producer of enthusiast driving shoes and race suits and entered a partnership with BMW , Ducati and Ferrari to make their respective shoes. In Formula 1 , Puma equips
1197-535: The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The ECNL expanded to 52 clubs in 2010 and 66 in 2011. The organization created a boys' league in 2017, adding 57 founding clubs. By 2019, the ECNL girls' league had 94 clubs and boys' league had 90 clubs. After the shutdown of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy in 2020, the girls' league expanded to 113 clubs and boys' league to 131 clubs. Public filings indicated that
1260-844: The Puma Clyde in 1973, a basketball shoe based on the Suede. Designed for basketball player Walt "Clyde" Frazier , it gained wide popularity and became significant in the old school hip hop and skate punk subcultures. Puma became a public company in 1986, and thereafter was listed on the Börse München and Frankfurt Stock Exchange ; its first profit since the IPO was registered in 1994. In May 1989, Rudolf's sons Armin and Gerd Dassler sold their 72 percent stake in Puma to Swiss business Cosa Liebermann SA . The company acquired Scandinavian Tretorn Group in 2001, later sold to Authentic Brands Group in 2015. For
1323-553: The West Germany national football team wore Puma boots, including the scorer of West Germany's first post-war goal, Herbert Burdenski . Rudolf developed a football boot with screw-in studs, called the "Super Atom" in collaboration with people such as West Germany's national coach Sepp Herberger . At the 1952 Summer Olympics , 1500 metres runner Josy Barthel of Luxembourg won Puma's first Olympic gold in Helsinki , Finland. At
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#17331053557721386-575: The DA on April 15, 2020, citing financial difficulties related to the pandemic, and some of the former DA clubs joined the ECNL. The ECNL scheduled the start of its first season during the COVID-19 pandemic for August 1, 2020, for clubs in jurisdictions that allowed youth sports. In September 2020, ECNL medical director Drew Watson organized a nationwide study of member clubs to track the spread of COVID-19 among players returning to practice and better understand
1449-614: The ECNL allowed it. In 2019, top boys' and girls' clubs from the DA, all-star teams drawn from the ECNL and other domestic youth clubs, and youth clubs from FC Barcelona , Paris Saint-Germain , Atletico Madrid , and Manchester City F.C. competed in the second International Champions Cup Futures Tournament, staged by Relevent Sports Group alongside their senior professional 2019 Women's International Champions Cup . The tournament took place from December 11 to December 15, 2019, at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida . U.S. Soccer closed
1512-458: The ECNL announced that PUMA would sponsor the ECNL boys' league. The U.S. Soccer Federation designates US Club Soccer , a non-profit national association member of the federation, as overseer of the ECNL's girls' and boys' leagues as well as other youth leagues in the United States. The ECNL was founded as a girls' soccer league in March 2009 during a meeting of 40 founding clubs. Its founding
1575-738: The NWSL permanently banned Riley and Dames from coaching in the league as a result of its joint investigation with the NWSL Players Association . In a report published by the Washington Post in November 2022, 24 current and former ECNL coaches raised concerns about a systemic lack of advancement opportunities for women working in ECNL, as well as discrimination and harassment. The report noted that 90 percent of directors of coaching at 129 ECNL clubs were male, and included claims by former Scotland and United Kingdom international Ifeoma Dieke , who had worked for an ECNL club and alleged that
1638-608: The United States, and at times specifically the ECNL, is a subject of debate among high school athletes. The ECNL also facilitates collegiate coaches and scouts having access to recruit players, including those who haven't started high school, by accommodating them at ECNL tournaments. As of April 2023 The ECNL girls' league has been sponsored by Nike since 2010. The partnership includes Nike retail presences at girls' ECNL events and national training camps held at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon . In March 2019,
1701-647: The West Bank . Puma will end its sponsorship of the Israel national football team in 2024. Puma has been a public company since 1986, listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange . French luxury group Kering (formerly known as PPR) holds 9.8%, Kering's largest shareholder Groupe Artemis owns 29% of the share capital. Puma ranks as one of the top shoe brands with Adidas and Nike , and employs more than 18,000 people worldwide. The company has corporate offices around
1764-548: The acquisition of the smaller stake was completed. The board of Puma welcomed the move, saying it was fair and in the firm's best interests. As of July 2007, PPR owned over 60% of Puma stock. In 2008, Melody Harris-Jensbach was appointed deputy chief executive officer; designer and artist Hussein Chalayan became creative director, and Puma acquired a majority stake in Chalayan's fashion business. In 2010, Puma acquired Cobra Golf , and took over bodywear and socks company Dobotex
1827-472: The admission of new members. ECNL matches have been nationally broadcast by ESPNU and ESPN3 . ECNL matches are also streamed on Hudl . Costs to ECNL players can vary widely between clubs. Coaches not near ECNL clubs criticize the costs of playing for the league as a barrier for development in the sport and a factor in reducing the racial and economic diversity among elite United States soccer players. Since its founding and continuing as of June 2015,
1890-765: The athletic associations for Brazil ( CBAt ), Jamaica ( JAAA ), Cuba ( FCA ), The Bahamas ( BAAA ), Grenada ( GAA ), Trinidad & Tobago ( NAAATT ), Dominica ( DAAA ), Barbados ( AAB ), Portugal ( FPAtletismo ), Switzerland ( Swiss Athletics ), and Norway ( NFIF ). It also has Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt , under contract along with other track and field athletes like Andre De Grasse , Karsten Warholm , and Gianmarco Tamberi . Several world records were achieved by athletes wearing Puma shoes, such as Heinz Fütterer (1954), Armin Hary (1960), Jim Hines (1968), Tommie Smith (1968), Asafa Powell (2015), and Usain Bolt (2002). In 2018, Puma announced its entrance back into basketball after
1953-668: The brand's ambassador. Later in June, Rosé becomes Puma's brand ambassador. In 2000, Puma began auditing all of its suppliers on a yearly basis, and makes the results available in its sustainability reports. Since 2005, it has publicly provided a list of its suppliers. In August 2004, a joint report from the National Labor Committee and China Labor Watch stated that workers at some of Puma's Chinese factories were enduring sweatshop conditions, working up to 16.5 hours per day for about US$ 0.31 an hour. Puma said it would investigate
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2016-737: The claims. In February 2012, a woman who worked for one of Puma's suppliers in Cambodia was shot during a protest over factory working conditions. Puma acknowledged the poor working conditions and said it would work to improve the situation. According to a joint report from Labour Behind the Label and Community Legal Education Centre, 30 workers fainted in November 2012 while producing clothing for Puma in China. The faintings were caused by excessive heat and alleged forced overtime. In 2014, almost 120 workers fainted in two Cambodian clothing factories where sportswear
2079-639: The company an "Innovation Award" in Supply Chain Finance in 2016. Puma managed to reduce its own carbon emissions worldwide by 88% between 2017 and 2021. This was mainly facilitated through buying renewable energy or renewable energy certificates. In 2023, Puma announced that it would stop using kangaroo leather in its products, including its redesigned KING football boot, which features uppers containing at least 20% recycled material. Also, in April 2023, Puma announced its new sustainable initiative, Voices of
2142-467: The company's name, in 1948. Puma's shoe and clothing designs feature the Puma logo and the distinctive "Formstrip" which was introduced in 1958. Christoph Dassler was a worker in a shoe factory , while his wife Pauline ran a small laundry in the Franconian town of Herzogenaurach, 20 km (12.4 mi) from the city of Nuremberg . After leaving school, their son, Rudolf Dassler , joined his father at
2205-416: The environment and partnerships with these sustainability initiatives has paid off. The company's values reflect the growing consumer demand for environmentally-conscious brands. This has led to an increase in Puma's product demand, therefore boosting their finances. In January 2024, the fashion Energy Report of Utility Bidder, a utility switching service, categorized Puma as the 'most sustainable brand' with
2268-471: The estimated average cost to play for an ECNL team was $ 3,000 to $ 10,000 per year. The ECNL doesn't prohibit its club players from also playing for high school soccer teams, and its season doesn't overlap with high school seasons. However, players and clubs alike reported challenges with players attempting to play for both, including scheduling conflicts, costs, injury risks, and strains on players' performances. The highly competitive nature of club soccer in
2331-612: The first sponsorship for an African American. Owens won four gold medals. Business boomed; the Dasslers were selling 200,000 pairs of shoes annually before World War II. Both brothers joined the Nazi Party , but Rudolf was a keen Nazi, who applied to join, and was accepted into the Gestapo ; they produced boots for the Wehrmacht . A growing rift between the brothers reached a breaking point during
2394-450: The fiscal year 2003, the company had revenue of €1.274 billion, and majority shareholder Monarchy/Regency sold its shareholdings to a broad base of institutional investors. In February 2007, Puma reported that its profits had fallen by 26% to €32.8 million ($ 43 million; £22 million) during the final three months of 2006. Most of the decline in profits was due to higher costs linked to its expansion; sales rose by more than
2457-606: The following year. In July 2011, the company completed a conversion from an Aktiengesellschaft (German public limited company) to a Societas Europaea , the European Union -wide equivalent, changing its name from Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport to Puma SE . At the same time, Franz Koch [ de ] replaced the long-serving Jochen Zeitz as the firm's chief executive officer (CEO), with Zeitz becoming chairman. The company has been led by former football professional Bjørn Gulden since 1 July 2013. Arne Freundt
2520-550: The game with a last-second request to tie his shoelaces, and with the camera panning in on Pelé, the Puma King boots were broadcast to a global audience, generating enormous publicity for the brand. The most notable event in the Dassler brothers feud , the breaking of the "Pelé Pact" outraged Horst, and future peace agreements were called off. The Puma deal for Pelé was praised as a shrewd marketing move, and many business experts credit
2583-455: The group stage compete in a finals tournament for the title of national champion. ECNL clubs also compete in tournaments that invite clubs from other leagues, such as the Surf Cup operated by Surf Cup Sports , itself a licensee of several ECNL clubs. The ECNL is a nonprofit organization composed of member clubs, with an elected board of directors that approves budgets, competition rules, and
North Carolina FC Youth - Misplaced Pages Continue
2646-801: The highest level of competition in the nation including Elite Clubs National League , Region III Premier League, and U.S. Soccer Development Academy in partnership with the North Carolina FC. They utilize venues throughout the area including WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary , and the WRAL Soccer Center in Raleigh. NCFC Youth sends many players on to play collegiately each year, including NCAA Division I and local NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III schools. On March 10, 2017, North Carolina Football Club announced that it would be merging CASL and TFC Alliance, two of
2709-629: The largest youth clubs in the Raleigh area, and they would become part of the NCFC family as North Carolina FC Youth soccer. In addition to recreational divisions which include only club teams, North Carolina FC Youth serves as a league organizer for competitive leagues in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. This article about a soccer club from North Carolina is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Elite Clubs National League The Elite Clubs National League ( ECNL )
2772-508: The league's board of directors, of sexual harassment and verbal abuse of youth players, and other abuses of power. The report also alleged that Dames hired a coach for Eclipse who had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for sexual harassment of youth players. Dames denied the allegations through his attorney. The report followed a separate media report alleging similar behavior by Dames in his role as head coach of senior NWSL pro club Chicago Red Stars , which became part of
2835-418: The league's exclusion of women from leadership roles was "a systemic problem". The ECNL and several of the clubs named in the report responded by denying the allegations or dismissing the complaints, and the league's chief operating officer Jennifer Winnagle stated that more than half of the league's front office staff was female. US Club Soccer responded to requests to comment with a statement indicating pride in
2898-617: The league's revenue grew from $ 500,000 in 2010 to $ 3.4 million in 2019. In 2017, the United States Soccer Federation announced the launch of a 74-club girls' academy within the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (DA) organization, in addition to its boys' academy. This program competed directly with the ECNL, which launched its own boys' academy in the same year and brought the ECNL and DA into direct nationwide competition for youth soccer clubs. The Development Academy prevented players from playing high school soccer, while
2961-420: The most famous athlete in the world would become too expensive, only for Puma to break the pact and sign him. In addition to paying Pelé a percentage of Puma King boot sales, Puma paid him $ 120,000 ($ 2.85 million in 2022) to tie his laces prior to Brazil's quarter-final game against Peru to advertise their boots. An idea conceived by Puma's representative Hans Henningsen, Pelé stopped the referee from starting
3024-469: The national anthem, an act meant to stand up for human rights and to stand up for black Americans. A few months prior to the 1970 FIFA World Cup , Armin Dassler (Rudolf's son) of Puma and his cousin Horst Dassler (Adi's son) of Adidas sealed an agreement which was dubbed "The Pelé Pact". This agreement dictated that Pelé would be out of bounds for both Adidas and Puma, feeling that a bidding war for
3087-460: The potential risks of transmission. The study encompassed 90,000 players and reported a positive case rate of 310 per 100,000 children. In a separate study, Watson suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic had also increased rates of anxiety and depression reported by athletes. In a Washington Post report published February 2022, several former players of ECNL founding club Chicago Eclipse Select accused its coach Rory Dames , who also served on
3150-499: The rivalry and competition between the two companies for transforming sports apparel into a highly-lucrative industry. During the 1972 Summer Olympics , Puma provided shoes for the Ugandan 400 metres hurdles champion, John Akii-Bua . After Akii-Bua was forced out of Uganda by its military government , Puma employed him in Germany. Eventually, Akii-Bua returned to Uganda. Puma launched
3213-505: The shoe factory. When he returned from fighting in World War I , Rudolf was trained as a salesman at a porcelain factory, and later in a leather trading business in Nuremberg. In July 1924, Rudolf and his younger brother, Adolf , nicknamed "Adi", founded a shoe factory. They named the new business "Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik" ( Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory ) which was the only business at
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#17331053557723276-466: The teams of Mercedes AMG Petronas , Scuderia Ferrari , Stake Kick Sauber , and Williams . They also equipped Red Bull Racing until 2022. In 2024 Puma became the official Formula 1 trackside vendor and personnel supplier, and also became an official partner of F1 Academy . The company sponsors BMW , Mercedes and Porsche in all of their Motorsports activities. In NASCAR , Puma equips Team Penske with fire suits, gloves, and shoes. Rihanna
3339-527: The time that manufactured sports shoes. The pair started their venture in their mother's laundry. At the time, electricity supplies in the town were unreliable, and the brothers sometimes had to use pedal power from a stationary bicycle to run their equipment. In 1927, they moved into a separate building. The brothers drove from Bavaria to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin with a suitcase full of spikes and persuaded United States sprinter Jesse Owens to use them,
3402-421: The two brothers deteriorated until they agreed to split in 1948, forming two separate entities, Adidas and Puma. Following the split, Rudolf originally registered the newly established company as Ruda (derived from Rudolf Dassler, as Adidas was based on Adi Dassler), but later changed the name to Puma . Puma's earliest logo consisted of a square and beast jumping through a D , which was registered, along with
3465-590: The work of US Club Soccer and its member organizations for female youth soccer. From 2017 to 2022, 70 percent of players selected in the NWSL Draft to play in the United States's top professional women's league were ECNL club alumni. As of November 2019 , more than 60 percent of rostered players in the combined Atlantic Coast Conference , Big Ten Conference , Big 12 Conference , Southeastern Conference , and Pac-12 Conference of NCAA Division I women's soccer were ECNL alumni. Puma (brand) Puma SE
3528-554: The world, including four defined as "central hubs": Assembly Row , Somerville, Massachusetts; Hong Kong ; Ho Chi Minh City , Vietnam; and global headquarters in Herzogenaurach , Germany. International footballers Neymar , retired Gianluigi Buffon , retired Sergio Agüero , Antoine Griezmann , Marco Reus , Raphael Varane , Luis Suárez , retired David Silva , retired Vincent Kompany , Sunil Chhetri , Christian Pulisic , Yann Sommer , Jonas Hofmann , Wataru Endo , Kaoru Mitoma and more sport Puma football boots. Puma holds
3591-484: Was allowed to be hired as director of coaching for an unnamed ECNL team. The report also covered the founding and coaching directing of ECNL club Albertson Soccer Club by Paul Riley until April 2020, who was also accused of sexual and verbal abuse of professional senior players during his tenures coaching in multiple leagues. The NWSL club North Carolina Courage subsequently fired Riley, and U.S. Soccer subsequently suspended Riley's coaching license. In January 2023,
3654-582: Was appointed CEO in November 2022. Since 2018, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has called for a boycott of Puma over its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association and demanded that the company "end complicity with the Israeli colonial and apartheid regime." The BDS campaign also stated that Puma contracted with an Israeli distributor operating in illegal Israeli settlements in
3717-527: Was being produced for Puma and Adidas, due to temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 °C). In March 2017, 150 workers assembling Puma products in Cambodia fainted due to thick smoke. Puma has obtained the Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation for its Australian-made products. This labour-friendly accreditation applies to only a small percentage of Puma's total production. In 2020,
3780-454: Was convinced that his brother had turned him in. After increasingly different views of how to run the business, the brothers split the business in 1948. Rudolf moved to the other side of the Aurach River to start his own company. Adolf started his own company using a name he formed using his nickname—Adi—and the first three letters of his last name—Das—to establish Adidas . Rudolf created
3843-457: Was infuriated to the extent of banning the Olympic champion. During the 1968 Olympics Black Power Salute , Puma-sponsored African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos , after having won gold and bronze in the 200 meters, respectively, took to the podium with their Puma Suede shoes in hand and bowed their heads and raised their black-gloved fists in silent protest during the playing of
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#17331053557723906-727: Was inspired in part by frustrations experienced by clubs and coaches with older volunteer-driven organizations, such US Youth Soccer and the American Youth Soccer Organization , in favor of a more professionalized approach. Christian Lavers is a league founder, and as of November 2022 served as both president and CEO of the ECNL, executive vice president of US Club Soccer, vice president of US Club Soccer management services client C2SA, and owner and club director for Wisconsin ECNL club FC Wisconsin . Lavers also served as director of sport and chief soccer officer of top-flight women's professional club Kansas City Current in
3969-525: Was named creative director of Puma's womenswear line in December 2014. Two years later, Puma partnered with The Weeknd as a creative collaborator. In 2018, Puma launched its venture with its ambassador Selena Gomez called "Phenom Lux'' In 2019, Big Sean became Puma's brand ambassador. Puma has also partnered with LaMelo Ball , NBA athlete, in 2020 to create a line including sports, culture, music and fashion. In 2024, Puma appointed Milind Soman as its running ambassador. The same year, Sekou became
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