Okay, so normally I wouldn't care less about these types of things. I'm not a slave to fashion (even tennis fashion) and usually I'm not influenced by any company's alliance with either a celebrity or event. Recent additions and changes in the tennis industry, however, have made me wonder, "What were they thinking?"
Andy Roddick, arguably the best male U.S. tennis player at this time, and a commercial and media wunderkind, has signed with Lacoste sports wear. After several years at Reebok, a U.S.-based company, Andy has chosen to move his endorsement to a French apparel company.
Combined with his tennis racquet company, Babolat, that makes him head-to-toe a billboard for France. While the dollar figure reportedly is quite handsome for Andy, I take issue with this alliance. First, the French people and French companies have not supported any action the U.S. has undertaken across the globe since September 11, 2001. I'm not trying to be prejudiced or biased, but it is hard for me to fathom that even in tennis, the most global of sports, a star athlete would put his or her own national pride secondary to a paycheck.
So Roddick is now set to become the king of all preppies (a look that died in the 1980s, but is making an incredible comeback). He is also rumored to be getting ready to sign a separate shoe contract with Babolat. So, taken in whole, Andy will be drenched in French dressing. I would have to question where his loyalty lies. Gee, Andy, could any one American celebrity embrace the often-contradictory French culture more completely then you? What were you thinking?
Few really care who the official clothing sponsor of the U.S. Open Championships is. To my knowledge, it doesn't even really generate the return on the investment required. And for what seems an eternity, Fila, an American-owned Italian company, held the dubious honor. Fila even decided to give up this distinction. In a tightly-contested race for this "prize," Ralph Lauren won the competition over Lacoste (there they are again), and will be the official apparel of the Open for some time to come. At least it's an American brand.
But wait, when was the last time a player or even a friend you know wore RL on a tennis court? Polo and Ralph Lauren are huge brands, but never before truly associated with the sport of tennis. If I had the opportunity, I'd ask Mr. Lauren myself, "Dude, what are you thinking?" While the U.S. Open is the largest-attended sporting event on the planet (over 500,000 spectators in a two-week period), the sponsors and vendors areas at the open are not usually in positions for peak shopping traffic, and you don't sell a lot of clothing or cologne there.
Also, while the average U.S Open consumer is probably dead center of your marketing profile, few spend much time outside the courts or liquor stands. I can see it now, as you enter the east gate at the National Tennis Center, there will be cowboy and cowgirl costumed Ralph Lauren models spritzing you with Chaps or Polo.
Bed Bath & Beyond conjures up a picture of someone playing tennis, doesn't it? Well, they are the newest sponsor of the WTA Tour. Talk about stereotypes. Let's pair the largest of home decorating and cleaning concerns with a tennis tour of women ... am I the only one who sees this as an odd pairing? Now, put Home Depot, or some other business not typically associated with women, and I would say, "good." Or how about Victoria's Secret? (Okay, Mr. Scott, if you get this sponsor, you owe me for my idea.)
Last I looked, the WTA was loaded with very attractive and very athletic women. With the latest WTA marketing campaign being aimed at taking women out of non-traditional roles, I can't see this sponsor at all. It might just be me, but I can't see Anastasia Myskina or even Anna Kournikova cardboard cutouts selling me the latest steam iron. Is the WTA sending a message I missed? Gee, Larry, what are you thinking?
Like I said, I don't normally even think about this stuff. And after reading this, I'm sure a lot of you would say I need to get a life. But I worry. I worry that tennis is on the verge of losing its unique identity all for the almighty dollar. I worry that the newest patrons of tennis do not care for the game, but only for the market it provides. It's bad enough that companies long tied to tennis have adopted business practices that are not compatible with the game. What will happen if companies and countries that don't care a lick about tennis get a significant foothold in our great game?
Something for you all to ponder, or ask yourselves, "What the heck was Tom thinking?"
May 3, 2005
Mert Ertunga:
My friend Tom,
Although I disagree with your reasons for dislike of Andy wearing Lacoste (I disagree with Wal-Mart’s arm-twisting tactics too but I will buy from whomever offers me a product at the best price), I thouroughly enjoyed reading this article and will not say “What the heck was Tom thinking?” :)).
Keep up the good work, thanks for the excellent & eye-opening article.
Mert Ertunga
May 16, 2005
Jim:
Tom….Check out the ESPN message board. That asshole Wolff is still an asshole!
Jim
May 17, 2005
Zeke Mann III:
Tom,
Wow, ok, BUDDY, you might to do some fact checking before you start spewing off bullshit allover the web. First off, for crying out loud—have you ever been to the US OPEN, well, if you could dig deep into those pockets of yours, maybe you’d see that Lacoste and other clothing vendors do a TREMENDOUS amount of business at the Open. The vendors are, even if your blind Tom, are centrally located at The Open—pretty hard to miss even for a person who over looks things like yourself. Oh, and lastly, maybe you should look into joining a country club where they DO have dress requirements for tennis players—for crying out loud most high schools and prep schools make you wear collared polo shirts, and, yes, alot of them are either Lacoste or Polo. Cheers, Tom, and maybe you should do a TOUCH more fact checking in the near future.
February 2, 2007
E Blair:
I believe Andy Roddick is free to where the clothing of his choice. Personally, as a protest to America’s current foreign policy I have traded my Wilson racquet in for a Babolat. I think other tennis players should follow Roddick and wear non-American clothing.
September 3, 2007
Luis:
“While the U.S. Open is the largest-attended sporting event on the planet (over 500,000 spectators in a two-week period)”,???….any major soccer competition has much more spectators then that.
Being an European I find your concern about “brand” really pathetic, cant imagine more then 30 different European brands of tennis racquets or tennis shoes each time we play a competition, plus 30 different African brands of soccer shoes. Racquets made in Sudan…??
“newest patrons of tennis do not care for the game, but only for the market it provides”, you mean wall-mart cares more then Lacoste?
Does Reebok cares about soccer?
We would have nightmares every night if we would be concern about who´s the sponsor of all “our games” as you said. In fact they all just for the market it provides.
September 27, 2007
Manly Norris:
Tom Kosinski is yet another example of a close-minded and prejudced point of view. Tom is implying that Andy Roddick should choose American over French apparel sponsorships based on his own political views and the fact that the French goverment decided to not participate in a war founded on questionable evidence to say the least. Tom refers to the French culture as “often contradictory” without giving any examples and while claiming “not to be prejudiced or biased.”
And who knows, maybe Andy Roddick is a huge supporter of the war in Iraq, you cannot imply that he supports France’s political ideals simply because he is sponsored by Lacoste. Tom: your writing reeks of ethnocentricity and bias under the surface. Maybe you should check your own self as the one who is “often contradictory.”
June 2, 2008
roGER:
Maybe the French knew a thing or two about foreign policy that Bush and neocons didn’t.
Too bad Bush didn’t take even a little of their advice. Still you can’t blame him - the French had only been dealing with the Middle East for about 12 centuries. Would would amateurs like them know about foreign policy compared to a bunch of patriotic Israelis and a token American or two?
As for Andy Roddick’s choice of clothing - nobody does fashion better than the French.
And as for his choice of equipment… well it just goes to show that all the major manufacturers can produce a good tennis raquet
July 22, 2008
Michael Rowe:
“First, the French people and French companies have not supported any action the U.S. has undertaken across the globe since September 11, 2001.”
First, you are incorrect. The French government offered support during our initial involvement in Afghanistan. They did not like our involvement in Iraq. Neither did lots of Americans. Even fewer after it was revealed that our government lied to us. So you will now offer a retraction of that part of your posting?
Second, aren’t most Wilson, just to pick a name, racquets made in China? Seems that a good, loyal American company should pick a location that would employ good, loyal American workers. Personally I have no problem with the manufacturing sight but maybe you should write your next column about that issue.