Roger Federer has accomplished and earned a lot of money on court. However, his off-court ventures truly are what have turned the Federer brand into an iconic image in the public’s minds. Federer has won $130 million in prize money in his career, but the total is dwarfed by his off-court earnings from appearances and endorsements.
From partnerships with Japanese apparel brand Uniqlo, Swiss brand On and Nike among others, Federer has amassed a fortune of over $1 billion. That’s a whole lot of money, given that the Swiss great earned prize money worth $4 million in 2003, $8.3 million in 2006, and $10.1 million in 2007. Fashion has played a big role in the 42-year-old’s life, espoused by his hosting of last year’s Met Gala.
Nike apparel worn by Roger Federer set to fetch $35,000 in auction
In a move that shatters records of tennis memorabilia auctions, Roger Federer’s Nike outfit from his title run at the 2018 Australian Open is set to go under the hammer. The win was his 20th and final grand slam victory before he hung his boots in 2022.
The off-white outfit with a dash of pink and black stripes draped across the chest region is expected to fetch up to $35,000. The collared t-shirt and shorts are both signed by Roger Federer. Bidding for the items close on October 8th.
While the sale may pale in comparison to other expensive auctions of sports memorabilia from baseball( A mint condition Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for $12.6 million ) and football( Diego Maradona’s outfit from his ‘hand of god’ goal sold for $9.3 million), it is a step up for tennis outfits sold in auctions.
Famous memorabilia from tennis history have fetched outrageous sums before such as when Bill Tilden’s 1920 Trophy sold for $71,500 ($900,000 today).
Federer’s Nike contract: worth, span
Federer signed with Nike in 1994 and wore the American apparel behemoth’s outfits all through his 20 grand slam title run. His most recent deal with Nike reportedly earned him a whopping $12 million.
Federer’s partnership expired in 2018, post which the Swiss maestro moved to Japanese apparel brand Uniqlo in a deal worth $30 million.
Mike Nakajima, Nike’s former long-term tennis director was candid in his choice to include Roger Federer in their portfolio, stressing on the brand the Swiss embodied.
“Switzerland wasn’t all that big a market for us, but when Roger became ‘The Roger Federer’, he became a global athlete and that’s good enough for us. Nike thought Roger was a very promising young athlete, and we could see that the game was moving in Europe.”, he said.
“When they are 16, or 17,18 everyone knows about them, certainly our competitors do, so we focus on 11,12,13 and 14-year-olds.”, he added.
What are your opinions on the Roger Federer mania and his apparel fetching outrageous amounts in the auction? Will the Swiss great live on in the memories of fans even after his retirement? Let us know in the comments section below.
