Post by rpbenchwarmer on Feb 11, 2011 12:27:03 GMT 8
Mizuno wins big as Azkals’ popularity grows
By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:01:00 02/10/2011
MANILA,Philippines—The Philippine football team has undergone drastic changes in the past three months.
Virtually unnoticed when they left to compete for the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup late last year, the Azkals—as the team is more popularly known—saw their popularity skyrocket with a sensational run to the semifinals in the prestigious tournament in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Azkals won even more fan support following their thrilling 2-0 win against Mongolia last Wednesday at the packed Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, in the first leg of their AFC Challenge Cup qualifying duel.
The Philippine Football Federation also underwent a leadership change. The Azkals have a new coach and new players are coming in. Interest in the sport is at an all-time high.
The only thing constant in the past five years is the sponsorship of sports apparel firm Mizuno, which provides the team’s training and game kits, track suits, cross-training shoes and playing boots.
Mizuno stuck it out with the Azkals when they struggled. And now that the team has achieved unprecedented success, it is reaping significant benefits.
“It’s been more of a family thing for us,” says Paolo Cagalingan, general manager of Mizuno Philippines, referring to the company’s relationship with the national team and the PFF.
The PFF-Mizuno partnership started in 2006 when then PFF general secretary Domeka Garamendi sought the support of the Japanese sports apparel firm.
“It was an easy decision. A lot of us in Mizuno are football players and we are really passionate about the sport. When we saw the lineup, we saw that some of the players are our friends,” Cagalingan says. “We were supporting Ateneo at that time and they won three straight titles in the UAAP. The PFF said maybe Mizuno can bring some luck to the team.”
The Azkals wore blue Mizuno jerseys for the first time in the AFF qualifying tournament in Bacolod. Though they won three matches, their victories hardly merited attention. The roller-coaster ride continued for the Azkals, who advanced to the AFF tournament in Bangkok only to get drubbed by Thailand and Malaysia.
“We don’t really expect a lot from the team,” Cagalingan says. “But we always tell them that win or lose, we will always be here to support them.”
The Azkals made giant strides late last year when they beat Suzuki Cup defending champion Vietnam in Hanoi, wearing their white specially designed Mizuno kits. The victory catapulted the team to the semifinals and instant fame.
And within a week or just after the semifinal duel with Indonesia, the Azkals’ Mizuno kits worth P1,995 each were sold out in the nine Mizuno outlets in Manila.
“We were in Baguio for another event during the time of the Suzuki Cup and we had more than 3,000 jerseys in our warehouse,” Cagalingan recalls. “In a span of two to three weeks they were all sold out.”
Cagalingan says Mizuno even had a hundred inquiries from abroad. “But we wanted to serve the local market first,” he adds.
The local market actually let Mizuno down in the early years of the partnership with the national team. “The bulk of the sales of the first edition of our jerseys—the red ones—came from foreigners, probably because of the Fil-foreigners in the team,” Cagalingan notes.
That’s not the case anymore as demand for the official jerseys continues to grow.
Cagalingan regrets, however, that these won’t be available in Mizuno stores until March.
But the firm, in partnership with the PFF and national team manager Dan Palami, came out with a replica that was sold in Bacolod during the Azkals’ AFC Challenge Cup match against Mongolia.
“We even had to pull out jerseys from our stores to give to the team for the Mongolia match,” he says.
With the Azkals’ sudden rise to fame and knowledge that Mizuno’s pact with the PFF was about to expire late last year, other sports apparel brands sent feelers to the PFF for possible sponsorship deals.
But football officials stayed with Mizuno, citing the company’s support for the squad.
“Mizuno is a sentimental favorite, of course, because they have been there since the start,” says Palami. The new deal runs for six months, but Cagalingan hopes that the partnership will continue.
“We’re hoping to continue the partnership and even support the grassroots programs of the PFF,” he says.
Link: business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20110210-319554/Mizuno-wins-big-as-Azkals-popularity-grows
By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:01:00 02/10/2011
MANILA,Philippines—The Philippine football team has undergone drastic changes in the past three months.
Virtually unnoticed when they left to compete for the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup late last year, the Azkals—as the team is more popularly known—saw their popularity skyrocket with a sensational run to the semifinals in the prestigious tournament in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Azkals won even more fan support following their thrilling 2-0 win against Mongolia last Wednesday at the packed Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, in the first leg of their AFC Challenge Cup qualifying duel.
The Philippine Football Federation also underwent a leadership change. The Azkals have a new coach and new players are coming in. Interest in the sport is at an all-time high.
The only thing constant in the past five years is the sponsorship of sports apparel firm Mizuno, which provides the team’s training and game kits, track suits, cross-training shoes and playing boots.
Mizuno stuck it out with the Azkals when they struggled. And now that the team has achieved unprecedented success, it is reaping significant benefits.
“It’s been more of a family thing for us,” says Paolo Cagalingan, general manager of Mizuno Philippines, referring to the company’s relationship with the national team and the PFF.
The PFF-Mizuno partnership started in 2006 when then PFF general secretary Domeka Garamendi sought the support of the Japanese sports apparel firm.
“It was an easy decision. A lot of us in Mizuno are football players and we are really passionate about the sport. When we saw the lineup, we saw that some of the players are our friends,” Cagalingan says. “We were supporting Ateneo at that time and they won three straight titles in the UAAP. The PFF said maybe Mizuno can bring some luck to the team.”
The Azkals wore blue Mizuno jerseys for the first time in the AFF qualifying tournament in Bacolod. Though they won three matches, their victories hardly merited attention. The roller-coaster ride continued for the Azkals, who advanced to the AFF tournament in Bangkok only to get drubbed by Thailand and Malaysia.
“We don’t really expect a lot from the team,” Cagalingan says. “But we always tell them that win or lose, we will always be here to support them.”
The Azkals made giant strides late last year when they beat Suzuki Cup defending champion Vietnam in Hanoi, wearing their white specially designed Mizuno kits. The victory catapulted the team to the semifinals and instant fame.
And within a week or just after the semifinal duel with Indonesia, the Azkals’ Mizuno kits worth P1,995 each were sold out in the nine Mizuno outlets in Manila.
“We were in Baguio for another event during the time of the Suzuki Cup and we had more than 3,000 jerseys in our warehouse,” Cagalingan recalls. “In a span of two to three weeks they were all sold out.”
Cagalingan says Mizuno even had a hundred inquiries from abroad. “But we wanted to serve the local market first,” he adds.
The local market actually let Mizuno down in the early years of the partnership with the national team. “The bulk of the sales of the first edition of our jerseys—the red ones—came from foreigners, probably because of the Fil-foreigners in the team,” Cagalingan notes.
That’s not the case anymore as demand for the official jerseys continues to grow.
Cagalingan regrets, however, that these won’t be available in Mizuno stores until March.
But the firm, in partnership with the PFF and national team manager Dan Palami, came out with a replica that was sold in Bacolod during the Azkals’ AFC Challenge Cup match against Mongolia.
“We even had to pull out jerseys from our stores to give to the team for the Mongolia match,” he says.
With the Azkals’ sudden rise to fame and knowledge that Mizuno’s pact with the PFF was about to expire late last year, other sports apparel brands sent feelers to the PFF for possible sponsorship deals.
But football officials stayed with Mizuno, citing the company’s support for the squad.
“Mizuno is a sentimental favorite, of course, because they have been there since the start,” says Palami. The new deal runs for six months, but Cagalingan hopes that the partnership will continue.
“We’re hoping to continue the partnership and even support the grassroots programs of the PFF,” he says.
Link: business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20110210-319554/Mizuno-wins-big-as-Azkals-popularity-grows