Roger Federer, an outstanding entrepreneur
Roger Federer during his victory against Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 29, 2017. AP - Aaron Favila
Text by: Alexis Bedu Follow
3 mins
What retirement for Roger Federer?
The Swiss tennis player announced the end of his professional career on Thursday September 15.
A new page should open for Federer, in business and in business.
The 41-year-old man is at the head of a fortune that he has been trying to grow for several years.
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Even at the end of his career, when he multiplied injuries and played very little, Federer was the highest paid sportsman in the world with nearly 100 million euros per year.
Its capital was estimated at 500 million euros three years ago.
It is undoubtedly even higher today, because Roger Federer is the very example of the sportsman-entrepreneur, like Serena Williams, a young retiree from professional tennis who paid tribute to him on the networks.
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An impressive collection of sponsors
His image of excellence, of elegance, can sometimes seem a little smooth, but it allows him to negotiate golden contracts.
“
He was able to embody and attract partners who had in common to place themselves in the high end of their industry.
Rolex for watches, Barilla for pasta, Mercedes for cars
, explains Vincent Chaudel, co-founder of the Sport Business Observatory.
He
is a sportsman who comes from a small country, Switzerland, and he has managed to be loved by the whole world.
There are very few athletes who have succeeded in doing this.
It goes beyond sports performance, it is also in marketing performance
”.
What Michael Jordan did for basketball, Roger Federer did for tennis.
He succeeded in impacting the economy of his sport, well helped by Tony Godsick, his agent who has accompanied him since 2005. .
For more than twenty years, it was with Nike that Roger Federer forged a partnership.
After a stormy divorce, the Swiss turned to the Japanese brand Uniqlo in 2018. He signed a ten-year contract for the staggering amount of 300 million euros.
This big fan of fashion himself has six clothing brands as well as a Swiss sneaker company On Running which is a hit in terms of sales.
A busy retirement
For his retirement, Roger Federer
has placed the pawns and prepared everything.
“
Like Michael Jordan or David Beckham, he shone outside his sport and this will continue long after the end of his professional career.
His image will continue to be interesting for many advertisers
, predicts Vincent Chaudel.
There will be the advertising contracts which will be a source of income, and he will also continue to influence his sport with the Rod Laver Cup
”.
This tennis competition, bearing the name of the legendary Australian player of the 1950s, takes place every year – it will be held next week in London.
Created at the instigation of Roger Federer, it pits a selection of European players against “the rest of the world”.
The Swiss is also at the head of a foundation in his name.
It uses its own funds to finance initiatives in southern Africa on the theme of youth education.
Thanks to her interpersonal skills and her popularity, the Foundation, now administered by her mother, Lynette Federer, originally from South Africa, has collected $52 million in 18 years of existence.
The Roger Federer Foundation has launched programs to promote school, notably in Lesotho and Namibia.
“
We will still see him, even if he will no longer play
”, slips Vincent Chaudel.
Indeed, Roger Federer, his aura and the imprint left far beyond tennis, will allow him to remain present.
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