Serena Williams shocked Nike ahead of Wimbledon return as $55m deal under microscope
· Yahoo Sports
The Serena Williams brand is as strong as ever, less than 24 hours out from her return to Grand Slam tennis at Wimbledon.
Visit somethingsdifferent.biz for more information.
After a doubles run at Queen’s and the Berlin Open, Williams was handed a main draw wildcard for the Championships.
The 44-year-old faces Maya Joint, who is 24 years her junior, in the singles tomorrow afternoon. Later in the week, she will team up with sister Venus Williams for the doubles.
A 23-time Grand Slam champion, her return is the biggest story in the sport right now.
Commercially, it was never in doubt that, if Williams wanted to play, the All England Lawn Tennis Club would do everything in their power to facilitate her. She is one of the most marketable athletes on the planet and in the history of tennis.
Photo by Paul Harding/Getty ImagesShe has boasted brand deals with the likes of JPMorgan, Armani and Aston Martin throughout her career, but by far the biggest commercial endorsement is her contract with sportswear giants Nike.
However, according to tennis journalists Jessica Schiffer and Ben Rothenberg in a report for Hard Court, even Nike were taken by surprise with Williams’ decision to come out of retirement ahead of Wimbledon.
Nike, who first partnered with Williams in a landmark $55m deal in 2003, have been forced to roll out old designs for Williams’ on-court looks, albeit in updated colourways.
Another of Williams’ long-time partners, Wilson, was not featured at all in the social media campaign which announced her return, Hard Court notes.
Per their sources, the racket company and Williams are yet to agree commercial terms for her return.