Adidas “EUROPASS” – the match ball with “goose bumps” for UEFA EURO 2008™

Adidas “EUROPASS” – the match ball with “goose bumps” for UEFA EURO 2008™
 
Official Ball of UEFA EURO 2008™ with revolutionary surface structure 
 
Adidas announced today that the official match ball of the UEFA EURO 2008™ is now available in the UAE. The ball features a new PSC- Texture™ ‘goose bump’ surface, which consists of a sophisticated and extremely fine structure on the ball’s outer skin that guarantees optimum grip between ball and boot. This allows players to control and direct it perfectly in all weather conditions. It will be used in every match throughout the tournament, being held in Switzerland and Austria.
 
The name “EUROPASS” refers to the common “EURO” pass between the two host countries of Austria and Switzerland. It also represents every pass the players will make on the pitch during UEFA EURO 2008. Visually the design has been inspired by the national flags of both host countries, integrated into the ball design with eight circles in a subtle silver effect. The 12 black dots contain individual graphic elements developed by UEFA to accompany the EURO logo. These elements stand for passion, friendship, action, training, fans and the winning goal, which appear as watermarks in the black dots of the adidas “EUROPASS”.
 
“Technological developments in football continually enhance the sport enjoyed by millions today and none more so than in the match ball itself,”  said Eduard Massier, Marketing and Business Development Director at adidas Emerging Markets.  “The EUROPASS is the outcome of extensive testing to create the ultimate surface structure which we believe delivers supreme ball handling and control.  The ball’s special ‘goose bump’ affect allows greater manipulation by the players boot, plus added grip for the receiving goalkeeper.”
 
“EUROPASS’ is the 10th Official Euroball to be supplied by adidas and we’re again delighted to be contributing to what promises to be another exciting European Football Championships,’ he added.
 
Like +Teamgeist™, the official match ball of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, the adidas “EUROPASS” is constructed out of 14 panels using revolutionary Thermal Bonding Technology. This combined with the new PSC-Texture™ surface structure gives the “EUROPASS” its perfect handling characteristics and allows the players exceptional ball control. The unique outer skin improves power transmission, creates greater swerve and increases accuracy on the pitch, in all conceivable weather conditions. And for the goalkeeper too, providing a much better grip between glove and ball, substantially improves his catching of the ball.
 
The ground-breaking performance features of the adidas “EUROPASS” have been demonstrated in comprehensive comparison tests at Loughborough University in England and in countless checks in the adidas football laboratory in Scheinfeld.
 
‘EUROPASS’ marks the 10th Official Euroball to be supplied by adidas, dating back to the first in 1972. adidas’ experience in football manufacturing is unsurpassed anywhere in the world, and is leading the industry in the production of the most modern and innovative balls since 1963. Since 1970, adidas has provided the official match ball for all major UEFA and FIFA tournaments. From 2008, adidas will also make the official ball for the Africa Cup of Nations organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), won this year by Egypt.
 
In the UAE, the new match ball is available in adidas brand stores in the Mall of the Emirates, Deira City Centre, Dubai Festival City, Burjuman Shopping Mall, Waif City and Al Ghurair Center in Dubai and Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall and Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi.
 
Colour options include black/white and white/black. Further models will be brought to market in the course of 2008, the year of the European Football Championships.