Louise Cattanach, Girl Economics Sports Reporter
Wimbledon 2024 promises to be a sensational Championship, featuring exciting new contenders in the main draws and showcasing the growing influence of luxury brands in tennis through partnerships with rising stars. Additionally, apparel brands such as Lululemon, Free People, Penguin and Lindeberg are entering the tennis landscape, further diversifying athlete sponsorship opportunities and tapping into buzz and excitement for tennis.
Once dominated by sporting brands, the tennis landscape is now attracting high fashion brands. Jannik Sinner, Gucci’s brand ambassador, epitomizes this shift. His partnership with Gucci, showcased by a global campaign launched after he carried a GG monogram tote at Wimbledon last year, highlights luxury brands’ increasing involvement in tennis. This collaboration generated $1 million in Media Impact Value (MIV) within 48 hours (Elle.com, 2024). MIV measures the monetary value of media coverage, social media engagement and reflects the campaign’s effectiveness. Last year’s collaboration at Wimbledon generated $2.9 million in MIV on social media within a month, indicating the significant financial value and potential for tennis and luxury brand partnerships (Elle.com, 2024).
Since Sinner’s semi-final run at Wimbledon last year, rising to world number 1 and his 2024 Australian Grand Slam win, he has continued to partner with high-profile brands, including Nike, Lavazza, Rolex and Alfa Romeo. Sinner’s collaborations with these brands have significantly boosted their positivity ratings, with Nike seeing an 18% increase in positivity whilst Rolex’s positivity rate nearly doubled, demonstrating the economic impact of these partnerships (Elle.com, 2024)
Similarly, Carlos Alcaraz rose to stardom after his 2022 US Open win and 5-set thriller against Djokovic last year at Wimbledon; he has forged significant partnerships with luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Rolex. Alcaraz’s ability to seamlessly blend athletic prowess with a modern and stylish image has catapulted his personal brand and brought a youthful energy to tennis by appealing to a broader audience.
Katie Boulter, a rising British star who is setting her sights high at Wimbledon this year after her recent success at the Nottingham Open, reflects on the partnership between tennis stars and brands,
“The brand gets to associate itself with the professional athlete, it dips into the crowds that follow top-level sports” – Katie Boulter
(Elle.com, 2024)
The impact of these collaborations is multifaceted. They elevate the players’ profiles, attract new fans and generate significant economic benefits. Luxury brands benefit from tennis’s global exposure since the athletes are on tour for nearly 11 months of the year. While tennis enjoys increased visibility and significant financial benefits, including increased sponsorship revenues, higher viewership, and more merchandise sales, all contribute to tennis’s economic health. This is demonstrated in the highest-ever prize money fund of £50 million in 2024 and a groundbreaking demand for tickets through the public ballot (Wimbledon, 2024)
Beyond the rising stars, the growing interest in tennis, padel and pickleball has attracted other apparel brands to the global tennis space. Alessandro Barel Di Sant Albano, Team8 agent who represents Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton, says that tennis has experienced a ‘cultural renaissance’ in the last few years, influencing the fashion industry (Forbes, 2023).
Sloane Stephens signed with Free People recently and expressed that,
“Brands are recognizing the platform we have as players and are wanting to get involved. I think it’s a great thing for the sport. Also, tennis clothes are just cute. Period.” – Sloane Stephens
(Forbes, 2023)
Looking ahead to the future, there promises to be more exciting collaborations with tennis players and new brands that offer different takes on tennis apparel, hoping to stand out on the Grand Slam courts.
For more Wimbledon 2024 news check out this link: Home – The Championships, Wimbledon – Official Site by IBM
Or follow Wimbledon on Instagram for daily updates and behind the scenes content.
