Roger Federer "stunned the tennis world without even hitting a ball," as he announced his new partnership with clothing brand Uniqlo in "typical understated style," according to Jamie Johnson of the London TELEGRAPH. There were no "flashy adverts, no billboards and no prior warning." Federer simply walked onto Wimbledon's center court dressed in the Japanese apparel company's gear. He "gave a wide smile," and greeted the roaring crowd. Federer had been "widely reported to have signed for Uniqlo" after his 10-year Nike contract expired in March, with the Japanese apparel company rumored to be paying the world No. 2 £23M ($30M) a year for the next 10 years. This contract would "likely take Federer well into his retirement," and Uniqlo appears to be making a move to market itself as the "middle-aged, middle-class go-to brand for athletic wear." Uniqlo Founder & Chair Tadashi Yanai said, "Mr. Federer is one of the greatest champions in history; my respect for him goes beyond sport. Our partnership will be about innovation on and off court" (TELEGRAPH, 7/2).
PATCH PLAY: ESPN.com's Darren Rovell reported to put Federer's $300M Uniqlo deal in perspective, his career on-court earnings are $116.6M. Sources said that the deal "could be even more lucrative" for Federer, as it includes the right for Federer's team to "sell some patches on his shirt." Nike "did not allow him to do so." Nike was given its right to match the deal and "passed." Nike has "already discounted most of the Federer related gear on its website" (ESPN.com, 7/2). FORBES' Kurt Badenhausen reported Uniqlo confirmed the deal via social media shortly after Federer's opening round match started. Federer will still wear Nike sneakers, as Uniqlo "does not make tennis footwear." Nike will also continue to own the RF logo that Federer has displayed on his apparel in recent years (FORBES, 7/2). BLOOMBERG's Edwards III & Sutherland reported Federer’s name recognition "boosts Uniqlo’s global expansion efforts," especially in Europe, where the brand is opening new stores. Uniqlo has experienced "strong growth" in places like China, helping int'l sales top domestic revenue for two straight quarters. But the retailer "may face challenges" in markets where rivals such as Zara and H&M are more established (BLOOMBERG, 7/2).
