Source: Steven Paston – PA Images / Getty
Roger Federer’s bag just got a lot heavier.
The tennis star’s deal with Nike is over and he’s opted to rock the Japanese brand, Uniqlo. The deal is worth upwards of $300 million over the next 10 years and will be the first time he’s rocked a brand another than Nike since signing with the swoosh back in 1994. The reason behind Federer not re-upping his deal haven’t been revealed, but it’s been reported that Uniqlo will also allow Federer’s team to sell patches on his jersey, which is something he was not allowed to do during his tenure with Nike. Like Kanye West and allegedly Drake, creative control of products bearing the star’s name may be a reason for Federer seeking a new brand to work with.
ESPN reports that Nike was given the opportunity to match Uniqlo’s deal but decided to pass. The deal is a no-brainer for Federer who’s won 20 Grand Slams and started on his Wimbledon quest with a win Monday morning. This isn’t Uniqlo’s first tennis star — they previously represented Novak Djokovic, but parted ways when his deal was over in 2017.
While Federer was warming up, he wore unbranded gear which was odd, but when it came time for the match he wore a White Uniqlo shirt, shorts, headband and with white Nike shoes. And in the midst of the match, Uniqlo officially announced that they’d signed Federer as a Global Brand Ambassador.
