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Marketing and Sponsorship

Naomi Osaka Spurns Adidas To Sign New Endorsement Deal With Nike

Osaka was seen sitting courtside for Warriors-Lakers on Thursday wearing a Nike shirtNBAE/GETTY IMAGES

Tennis player Naomi Osaka "surprised industry watchers" on Friday by announcing an endorsement deal with Nike after having previously been with Adidas, according to Dave McCombs of BLOOMBERG NEWS. It had been anticipated that Adidas "would pay a record sum to renew a clothing endorsement" with the No. 1-ranked Osaka. Nike did not disclose financial terms or the length of the deal, but Osaka is "scheduled to wear Nike gear for the first time later this month" at the WTA Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany. Osaka's high-profile win against Serena Williams at the U.S. Open in September "launched Osaka into stardom as a new face with international appeal, especially for advertisers chasing younger, more diverse shoppers" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/5). TENNIS LIFE's Stephanie Myles notes the Osaka-Nike announcement comes after it "appeared Osaka would stay with Adidas" following the U.S. Open. She was "reportedly 'set' to sign a 'record-breaking' extension to her Adidas deal that would pay her" a reported $8.5M a year. A photo of Osaka from a recent issue of ESPN The Magazine featuring a "logo-less, generic outfit" was a sign of things to come. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see whether Osaka, who is "big in the Asian market" due to her Japanese heritage, will have the "same exemption China's Li Na had." Li was "allowed to wear all of her other sponsorship patches on her Nike gear, unlike Nike's other athletes" (TENNIS.LIFE, 4/4).

JUST THE BEGINNING: CNBC.com's Adam Reed notes Osaka's "ascent to the top of the women's game has made her a hot marketable commodity for the world's top brands," with some estimates putting her at more than $15M in endorsement earnings just this year (CNBC.com, 4/5). FORBES' Tim Newcomb noted Osaka has signed "six new deals" since her U.S. Open victory, and her appeal in both Japan and the U.S. "helps Osaka when it comes to endorsements." IMG, which manages Osaka, confirmed she was "in discussions with a broad range of suitors looking to put their logo on Osaka from head to toe," and with the '20 Tokyo Games coming up, "'definite interest' rises from brands trying to get behind an athlete who could be one of the faces of the games." The 21-year-old has the "potential to turn into the top endorsement earner in female tennis" due to her age, the "growing love of tennis in Asia and major contracts still on the horizon" (FORBES.com, 4/4). 

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