Federer believes the RF brand will make a powerful comeback as part of the Uniqlo collectionGETTY IMAGES
Roger Federer believes his RF brand, which currently resides with Nike, will "make a powerful comeback as part of the Uniqlo collection" once that intellectual property eventually reverts back to Federer himself, according to Sandra Harwitt of USA TODAY. Federer, who spoke after Monday's match, said, "The RF logo is with Nike at the moment, but it will come to me at some point. I hope rather sooner than later, that Nike can be nice and helpful in the process to bring it over to me. It’s also something that was very important for me, for the fans really." He added, "The good news is that it will come with me at one point. They are my initials. They are mine." Harwitt notes Federer on Monday "donned a simple white outfit" from Uniqlo , but he has plans to "up the clothing game in the pipeline." Federer: "We need to figure out with Uniqlo at what point we can start selling clothes for the public as well. We’re hopeful the beginning of next year people can start buying my stuff. For the moment, as fast at retailing as they are, as great as they are, it just needs a bit of time." Harwitt noted Federer on Monday still "scooted around the court in Nike sneakers." Federer: "I don't have a shoe deal. I’m looking forward to see what shoes I will be wearing in the near future. For now, I will be wearing Nike. They have shown interest to have a shoe deal with me, as well. Ties are not broken there" (USATODAY.com, 7/2).
DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Perrotta & Germano note Nike "sponsors hundreds of athletes around the world, but went to great lengths to honor" Federer’s success, designing a sneaker in collaboration with Michael Jordan and "naming a walkway on Nike’s campus in his honor "(WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/3). In London, Luke Brown noted Federer's departure from Nike "didn't stop thousands of his fans from sporting" the RF logo around the All England Club on Monday (INDEPENDENT.co.uk, 7/2).
NEW LOOK: TENNIS.com's Ed McGrogan noted Federer's "clothing coup had been rumored for months." When Federer "conversed with the press this weekend in a sport coat instead of sportswear, the writing was on the wall." During Monday's match, Federer's bandanna "appeared a little longer, and his new clothes a bit starker -- just a few splashes of red Uniqlo branding against bright white" (TENNIS.com, 7/2). SI.com's Jon Wertheim wrote, "Having made such a significant financial investment, might Uniqlo develop a performance shoe for Federer?" (SI.com, 7/2).
BIG ASPIRATIONS: YAHOO FINANCE's Daniel Roberts noted Uniqlo is "owned by Tokyo conglomerate Fast Retailing." Fast Retailing Founder, Chair, President & CEO Tadashi Yanai has been "saying for years" that he wants to get Uniqlo to $10B in U.S. sales by '20. It "isn’t there yet." Uniqlo did nearly $14B in "global revenue" in '17. But the brand "doesn’t do many athlete endorsements." The few athlete signings Uniqlo has made "were all in tennis or golf." That is why Federer "makes sense as the brand’s new sports face -- especially after Uniqlo lost Novak Djokovic last year to Lacoste." Djokovic had been Uniqlo’s "most prominent athlete ambassador." Federer is a "massive upgrade, a bigger global face for the brand." Federer is also "almost certainly one of the select few athletes who will continue to be marketable past the time when he retires from his sport" (FINANCE.YAHOO.com, 7/2). BLOOMBERG NEWS' Edwards & Sutherland noted Federer’s name recognition "boosts Uniqlo’s global expansion efforts, especially in Europe, where the brand is opening new stores." Uniqlo has seen "strong growth in places like China, helping international sales top domestic revenue for two straight quarters." The new relationship gives a Uniqlo "another shot at exploiting one of the sport’s all-time greats." Uniqlo continues to "endorse Kei Nishikori, the most successful Japanese player ever" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/2). In N.Y., Naila-Jean Meyers notes Uniqlo is a "casual wear company, roughly equivalent in Japan to the Gap." Though it has "more than 2,000 stores worldwide and is expanding, Uniqlo is not the type of clothing brand that usually signs athletes" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/3).
