Just like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal is now retired from tennis. Since his defeat in the Davis Cup on November 20, the 38-year-old Spaniard has put away his rackets to start his second life. With a career that began in 2001, the Majorcan remains an icon that goes well beyond tennis. A status that, like Roger Federer, he will try to maintain, even grow. But how does the transition work at the sponsorship level when such a legend retires?
Linked to Nike throughout his career, but also to Babolat, which has supplied him with racquets since he was nine years old, Rafael Nadal is also affiliated with the automobile brand Kia and even Louis Vuitton. So many sponsors who capitalized on the unique image of the Spaniard. “It is one of the rare athletes to have a brand personality. He has a move of his own, the lasso. Shis tics, his results, his way of hitting the ball, his 'fighting spirit', the headband, the logo… All these elements make up his characteristic“details Lionel Maltese, lecturer at Aix-Marseille University and former member of the FFT executive committee.
“Nadal's memorization is very strong, like that of Ayrton Senna or Michael Jordan. And of Roger Federer or Serena Williams in tennis.”
Lionel Maltese, sports marketing specialistat franceinfo: sport
Upon retirement, Rafael Nadal will keep his partnerships, which will logically be revised downwards since they are indexed to his exposure time, i.e. his presence on the court. “The five sets, the Grand Slam finals, the titles, the search for what we call spontaneous notoriety, that will be reduced because it will no longer take place”details Lionel Maltese.
However, Rafael Nadal will benefit from what is called the inertia effect, i.e. a brand image that continues even after retirement, a consequence of his imprint in the sporting world. “The amount will decrease in relation to the exposure rate, but it would not surprise me if there is an effect similar to that of Roger Federer. Perhaps less, because I think the brand is a little less powerful, but the inertia effect is one of the most important that will exist in sport”says Lionel Maltese.
However, with a notable impact: racket sales. “THE 'tennis natives' who arrive, they are not going to know Nadal on the court, so they are not going to identify with him. Even if there are images left, the children will rather go towards Carlos Alcaraz's racket, because they identify with someone who is alive, sportingly speaking.”he continues. The French racquet brand has understood this well since it has had a certain… Carlos Alcaraz under contract for 10 years and until at least 2030.
Like Nike, which had prepared a clip especially for his retirement, Rafael Nadal is well anchored in all his sponsors, who have brought him more than 400 million net dollars in his career according to Forbes. He will logically see his contracts evolve, as with the French brand Babolat, his partner for 29 years. “We have been anticipating this for a very long time with Rafa and his clan, explains Marion Cornu, tennis marketing director at Babolat. We are going to switch to an ambassador contract based on three pillars. The first is support for the player's projects, his foundation, his academy for which we already supported him. The second is the player's involvement in new innovations and hardware development. And the third is the player's participation in the brand's highlights.”
If the Rafael Nadal brand is so strong, it is because its representative has always been able to attract potential partners. “Il is distinctive, and that is what interests brands. He has a record that is unbeatable, his story can be told in a film, like that of Mohamed Ali. And there is a respect from one’s peers that is extremely powerful. The legendary side really appeals to brands, as does authenticity.”continues Lionel Maltese.
“There is enormous respect for his humanism. Nadal is extremely aggressive and doesn't give up on the field, but in life, he is a lamb. He is fair play, respectful, well-mannered. That pleases the brands, because he doesn't lie.”
Lionel Maltese, sports marketing specialistat franceinfo; sport
What type of retiree will Rafael Nadal then head towards? Probably not exactly that of Roger Federer, still the best paid athlete in extra-sporting terms with 95 million dollars annually, thanks in particular to Rolex, but also to the Laver Cup, integrated into the ATP circuit. “Federer set out well before his retirement to be an entrepreneur, with his own event, the Laver Cup, which makes his brands resonate. It's an exhibition that has been validated by the ATP circuit just on its name, it's incredible.” points out the specialist.
Like the courts, the two rivals and friends have chosen a very different style. “Federer is an investor. He has the On brand, which is in an extremely competitive sector, shoes and sports equipment. Nadal has invested in sports. He is the head of an academy The infrastructures he created are not only in Majorca and he is the face of Saudi Arabia. He has invested a lot in infrastructures and academies. around its brand personal, so that’s going to stay.”he continues.
Unlike the Swiss, who moved to Uniqlo in 2018, four years before his retirement, after 18 years at Nike, Lionel Maltese sees Rafael Nadal maintaining his partnerships with his long-standing sponsors. “I think he's a loyal person, and I don't see him doing anything, going to Adidas or something like that.”he believes. All complemented by juicy exhibitions that he has already started to undertake at the end of his career. “He did the exhibition for Netflix against Carlos Alcaraz. The last one in Saudi Arabia (mid-October) as well, where he played his last real competitive matches.”he notes.
To avoid the pitfalls of Shaquille O'Neal and Andre Agassi, who moved to another equipment manufacturer with little success (Li-Ning for O'Neal, Adidas for Agassi), Rafael Nadal would have every interest not to diversify too much, believes Lionel Maltese . “In general, it fails when you have characters who are looking for themselves, and who ultimately have a brand image that is lost. Those who have remained in their DNA, like Federer, Nadal, Senna, Zidane, or Cruyff, it works.”.
