Federer to Uniqlo UPDATE: Confirmed!
Well, turns out, Federer did actually sign a ridiculous contract with Uniqlo. Federer to Uniqlo has happened at the start of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships. Uniqlo announced it via their Instagram account:
Unfortunately, Nike decided to not market their tennis players because they have most of their eggs in the basektball basket. What do you think?
Federer to Uniqlo Apparel: Rumors
There have been a lot of rumors swirling around the tennis world about Federer to Uniqlo clothing to replace his Nike contract. Roger Federer’s Nike contract, which he’s been wearing since the very beginning of his tennis career in the late 90’s, expired in early March 2018.
This was confirmed by New York Times tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg:
The Federer to Uniqlo rumor started originally on Twitter, by Portuguese journalist Jose Morgado:
Federer to Uniqlo: What is the offer?
According to reports, Uniqlo has offered Roger Federer a 10 year $300,000,000 (yes, million) contract to switch apparel. Nike, reportedly, offered $25M from 2015 – 2018; $8.3M a year for 3 years. You would think that Nike would cough up the extra $1.7M and add a few more years.
If you think about it, Roger Federer has plenty of money already and has international fame in tennis and the sports world, more than any other tennis player in the history of the sport – yes, even Rafael Nadal. So why the potential move?
That’s really the ultimate question, and only one that Roger Federer himself would know the answer to. Though, it ultimately appears to be business related…money is money.
Federer to Uniqlo: The “RF” Logo Conundrum
There are some complications with this Federer to Uniqlo move. The famous “RF” logo is actually owned by Nike! There’s no way that Nike would let Uniqlo take the logo without paying a hefty price. So, Uniqlo would probably have to come up with their own version of the “RF” logo.
Federer to Uniqlo: Who is Uniqlo?
Apparel that comes from our Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity. Designed to be of the time and for the time. Made with such modern elegance that it becomes the building blocks of your style. A perfect shirt that is always being made more perfect. The simplest design hiding the most thoughtful and modern details. The best in fit and fabric made to be affordable and accessible to all.
Clothing that we are constantly innovating, bringing more warmth, more lightness, better design, and better comfort to your life.
I find it rather surprising that Roger Federer doesn’t own the “RF” logo, I would have bet my money on the ownership of that logo would belong to the person who’s name the logo belongs to; in this case, Roger Federer. I believe Rafael Nadal owns his “bull” logo and he’s also with Nike (don’t know what his contract is worth though).
Personally, I find the Federer to Uniqlo potential move to a little bit drastic. For as long as I can remember, I associate Roger Federer with the Nike brand. More so, I believe that Federer has carried the Nike brand in tennis for the last 10 years. The Nike tennis clothes are higher priced than most other brands and without Federer I don’t think they would sell as much as they have.
If this Federer to Uniqlo deal actually goes through, which is rumored to be ironed out in the days before 2018 Wimbledon, I don’t know where you would pick up the Roger Federer line. Uniqlo is already hard to find in the US, with a few stores in the nation and Tennis-Warehouse doesn’t carry the brand. This should be interesting, watching this deal unfold.
What do you think about Federer to Uniqlo? Let me know in the comments below.