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800 billion won sponsorship deal after leaving Nike … Emperor Federer’s business acumen

‘Jackpot’ contract with Uniqlo at age 37 … Receive support after retirement


“Tennis Emperor” Roger Federer (41, Switzerland), who announced his retirement on the 15th, is a player who can be described as an “emperor” in terms of business acumen.

In the “Tennis Player Earnings Rankings in the Last Year” published by Forbes, an American business magazine last month, Federer earned $ 90 million (about 120.8 billion won) and ranked first in this category.

He was unable to compete in the tournament for over a year due to a knee injury, but has held the top spot in the highest income for 17 consecutive years.

He made a huge amount of money just from donations with no prize money from the contest.

Federer, who has been praised for playing better tennis than any other player, has shown great talent in marketing his image and turning it into income.

In particular, Federer’s meticulous entrepreneurship is revealed in the ‘big deal’ signed with Uniqlo in 2018.

Federer, 37, had not sponsored with Nike.

It was basically like being kicked out.

800 billion won sponsorship deal after leaving Nike ... Emperor Federer's business acumen


At the time, Nike was saturated with the tennis players it sponsors, such as Serena Williams (USA), Rafael Nadal (Spain), Maria Sharapova (Russia) and Nick Kyrios (Australia).

Global sports brands spend less than 10% of their total budget on sponsoring athletes.

This is an “unwritten rule” to protect the solidity of the company.

Nike has decided to ‘get out’ of the old Federer in order not to go further.

Federer, who left Nike without saying a word, won a “jackpot” in which he signed a contract with Uniqlo, which was expanding as a global brand at the time, and received a total of $ 300 million (about 418, 8 billion won) for 10 years.

The annual sponsorship received from the previous Nike contract was $ 10 million (about 13.9 billion won), which was tripled every year.

Federer wasn’t satisfied with getting more money right away.

800 billion won sponsorship deal after leaving Nike ... Emperor Federer's business acumen


There is no ‘pension clause’ in Federer’s contract with Uniqlo.

In other words, Federer allowed him to receive the same amount of donations as before, even though he retired during the term of the contract.

He will leave the field after the Laver Cup, but until he turns 46 he will receive from Uniqlo $ 30 million (about 41.9 billion won) every year, which is more than the average salary of a level professional player for the next five. years.

This is not the end.

Uniqlo also sells shoes.

However, Federer only signed a “clothing sponsorship” deal with Uniqlo.

Federer, who has long competed in Nike tennis shoes without payment, signed a separate sponsorship deal with a new Swiss brand, On Running, around 2019.

OnLearning did not enter into a cash contract because it was still small.

Instead, he received a stock option and decided to act as an ambassador.

800 billion won sponsorship deal after leaving Nike ... Emperor Federer's business acumen


At the time, Federer secured a 3% stake in the company, but two years later, when OnLearning went public, Federer’s stock value reached $ 300 million (about 418.8 billion won).

As a result, the 37-year-old entered the “twilight period” won a total of $ 600 million in sponsorship even after his contract with Nike expired.

Federer, who has earned an astronomical sum with his incredible skills, has done a lot of good things with this money.

Federer, who is interested in Africa, has made many donations for the continent’s children.

With the money he paid, more than 80 schools were opened.

Federer is said to have spent $ 15 million on the school project alone.

Federer also donated $ 1 million to pay for meals to African students whose schools have been closed due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

/ yunhap news

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