Wimbledon 2025: How Sponsorship Patches Help Players Earn More Money
Novak Djokovic has earned nearly $200 million in career prize money and was the highest-paid tennis player in 2024. Yet, even the GOAT wears extra cash on his sleeve. The patches you see popping up on player's outfits represent a subtle but significant shift in tennis sponsorship opportunities.
Tennis players haven't reached NASCAR sponsorship levels, where drivers, their cars and crew teams are covered in logos. However more tennis players are wearing sponsorship patches.
A patch is more than a 'one off' way to market, said Kevin Smith, who teaches Sports & Entertainment Marketing at Texas Christian University. A patch on a player is usually part of a larger marketing campaign, helping a brand tell its story.
'It's more about the impact and return (on investment). What the brand side wants and what can I help deliver for you?" said Smith.
How Patches Generate Money For Players
As players push for higher earnings, tennis officials are finding new ways to generate revenue. Whether through Saudi Arabia's sports investments or creative sponsorship deals, there's more money to be made in tennis, said Jay Prasad, CEO of Relo Metrics, an AI-powered sponsorship analytics platform that measures media exposure and ROI across broadcast, streaming and social media. Relo Metrics tracks sponsorship performance on jersey (uniform) patches.
In 2023, Relo's data identified a relatively high media value performance (MVP) score of MLB jersey patches. The MLB patches were larger and easier for fans to identify. They are now part of a team's uniform.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres tosses his bat ... More after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the Division Series at Petco Park on October 08, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Japanese e-commerce site Rakuten inked a three-year $60 million deal with the Golden State Warriors. The parties renewed the agreement in 2022.
"People were like," Who the hell? What the hell is Rakuten? But like, you know what? People in the Bay Area, because it's on the Warriors, know what Rakuten is," said Prasad. "Jersey patches matter."
In soccer, jersey patches are so prominent that they are often larger than the team's name.
"The fans love it. They associate that brand with their team, with the stadium, and it's a part of the identity of what they love," said Prasad. "So it has crossed that chasm. It's not an advertisement. It's a part of the fan experience."
But that's the team sports experience. In tennis, a sport steeped in tradition where etiquette is an integral part of the game, the patches serve as supplemental branding.
Top players like Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz or Coco Gauff can command $3 million or more from a single annual patch deal, according to Sportico. Players consistently in the Top Ten, like Taylor Fritz, can earn an extra $250,000 per year.
Carson Branstine during her match against Aryna Sabalenka on day one of the 2025 Wimbledon ... More Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London. Picture date: Monday June 30, 2025. (Photo by John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Sometimes called micro sponsorships, temporary patch deals can earn players an extra $10,000 to $20,000 per match.
'If you're not a top player, you're really struggling,' said Prasad. 'You're living like a minor league baseball player. And so there's more money to be gotten into the sport.'
Patches also offer brands a lower-tier entry into big-time sports marketing. Blue Owl Capital is an asset management firm that targets lower-ranked players in high-profile matches. Blue Owl doesn't have a JP Morgan Chase marketing budget. Instead of chasing one or two marquee players, like Alcaraz or Djokovic, Blue Owl opted to back players who face a top player, becoming the exclusive financial services partner in a player patch program.
'You know the importance of strong narrative that connects brand values and the essence of the sponsorship. Blue Owl, they're kind of an alternative brand in the finance world. So they're looking for those challenger mindsets,' said Smith.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 15: Jordan Thompson of Australia celebrates a point against Nuno ... More Borges of Portugal in the Men's Singles Second Round match during day four of the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 15, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by)
One of the most unusual patch sponsorship deals occurred at the 2024 U.S. Open when the Czech Republic's Tomas Machac and Serbia's Dusan Lajovic wore a patch promoting the Ben Crump law firm. Crumb is best known as a civil rights attorney who represented the families of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin.
Surely, Crumb is not seeking clients in Serbia and the Czech Republic. However, those patches got his law firm air time on ESPN for a fraction of what it would cost him to run a national television ad. His patch also showed up in highlights on YouTube, Social Media posts and sports news websites.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 27: Dusan Lajovic of Serbia returns against Daniil Medvedev of Russia ... More during their Men's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2024 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by)
Although a temporary patch can generate extra income for a lower-ranked player, cashing in can't be a player's focus, said Yury Bettoni, former Italian-American professional tennis player and founder of GOSYMBA, an athletic apparel brand.
"So it's not about thinking, Oh, I hit the jackpot, because I'll be on TV," said Bettoni. "When you start thinking like, that is the beginning of the end."
However, agents and brands can't ignore the opportunity to maximize exposure at minimal cost.
"Everybody has the phone with a camera, and everything gets recorded," said Bettoni. "So a small patch on the shoulder of a player that, let's say, is No. 150 in the world and plays against a Top 10 player, he makes a difference. It makes a difference."
The Evolution Of Sponsorship Patches In Tennis
Tennis: US Open: Sweden Bjorn Borg in action at National Tennis Center. Flushing, NY ... More 8/1/1981—8/31/1981 CREDIT: Manny Millan (Photo by Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X25984 TK1 )
During the 1970s and 1980s players like Bjorn Borg began wearing prominent patches. The trend received backlash from the tennis establishment, which worried the patches interfered with the sport's prim and proper aesthetic. Even those who embraced the growth of the game rejected the idea of players looking like billboards.
During the 1990s, patch restrictions tightened until Nike's sponsorship deal with Li Na.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: Na Li of China plays a forehand return during the Ladies' Singles third ... More round match Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of Czech Republic on day five of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 27, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by)
Li became the first Asian player, male or female, to win a Grand Slam. Her popularity sparked a surge in interest in tennis across a massive Asian market. Nike restricted its ambassadors, including Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Rafael Nadal from wearing other logos.
Li's agent, Max Eisenbud, brokered a deal with Nike that allowed her to wear the Mercedes Benz logo on her sleeve. Well, that opened the floodgates.
Now everybody's wearing patches. Gauff wore a red Barilla patch on her white Wimbledon outfit last year. Jasmine Paolini has Amazfit and Dove logos incorporated in her Asics dress. Fritz is wearing a Chipotle patch on one sleeve and a Motorola logo on the other, on his Hugo Boss shirt.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 30: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Alternate crop) Jasmine Paolini of Italy puts ice on her ... More head during a break between sets against Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia during the Ladies' Singles first round match on day one of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by)
'If I'm the player, I don't want to be logo soup,' said Smith. "I mean, ideally, I'd love to be, you know, the Coco (Gauff) with one brand and New Balance, and off I go."
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 30: Fabio Fognini of Italy plays a backhand against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain ... More (not pictured) during their Gentlemen's Singles first round match on day one of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo)
Even at Wimbledon, the Grand Slam with the most restrictive dress code, more patches are popping up. Fabio Fognini was on a 10-match losing streak heading into Wimbledon and thought about retiring. His first-round opponent? Alcaraz on Centre Court. Fognini, in possibly his last appearance on Centre Court, wore Blue Owl and Astonish patches.
Last year, in the fourth round at Wimbledon, LuLu Sun faced popular British player Emma Raducanu. Sun wore patches for Neilson Beach Clubs and Astonish that looked like they were slapped on her Lacoste top at the last minute.
New Zealand's Lulu Sun celebrates winning the first set against Croatia's Donna Vekic during their ... More women's singles quarter-finals tennis match on the ninth day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 9, 2024. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images)
Why Tennis Will Never Look Like NASCAR
Serena Williams, an honorary race marshal, take the pre-race stage at the Ford 400 Winston Cup ... More Race, Sunday, November 16, 2003 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
Sponsorship logos in NASCAR fuel that sport. That works on a race car. However, despite advancements in racket and string technology, electronic line calls, and retractable roofs, tennis remains restrained when it comes to attire.
Some upscale sponsors, like Rolex, may not want to share real estate with brands that don't align with their image. As tennis sponsorships evolve, so will the balance between generating revenue and preserving the game's classy character.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool OVERTAKE Arsenal in €100m talks
Liverpool have reportedly overtaken Arsenal in pursuit of a €100m forward. The Reds are now closest to making this happen. Luis Diaz has massively complicated things at Liverpool. The Colombian wasn't supposed to leave this summer or at the least, the Reds didn't think he would. Diaz isn't exactly an untouchable at Anfield but the idea that someone would pay his asking price seemed farfetched. And the to be fair, it has been. Barcelona and Bayern Munich have each pushed for Diaz in the last few weeks. Both failed to get anywhere near what Liverpool would want in order to sell. But now the winger has made it clear to Liverpool that he wants out. And that may well force their hand as offers continue to arrive. At the very least, it has the Reds seeking a replacement and they appear to have found a very high-profile one. Liverpool lead Rodrygo race AS claims Liverpool are now at the front of the queue for Rodrygo. The outlet mentions that the Reds view him as a replacement for Diaz, should he leave the club this summer. And so they'll fly in for talks about Rodrygo. A deal might be able to happen, even if Real Madrid want €100m for their player. Importantly, Arsenal - previously considered favourites to sign Rodrygo - are now 'more distant' in the race than Liverpool. The Reds have stolen a march on the Gunners, pushing to the front and now signing the Brazilian is a real possibility. But there is a way to go just yet. Liverpool won't sign Rodrygo unless Diaz leaves but that will take a large fee in order to cover signing the replacement.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Deepti Sharma helps India to victory against England in first ODI
Deepti Sharma's half-century helped India to a four-wicket victory over England in the first One Day International in Southampton. England lost early wickets and were reeling at 97 for four, but Sophia Dunkley put on an innings-saving 83 which helped England to 258 for six from their 50 overs. India looked in control with the bat at the start of their innings, but a cluster of wickets swung the momentum back in England's favour until Sharma and Jemimah Rodrigues came to the crease and their partnership almost took India to the finish line. Sharma's knock of 62 ensured they secured a first victory to kick-off the three-match ODI series after already claiming a series win in T20s. India made their breakthrough from just their eighth delivery when Kranti Goud castled Amy Jones and fellow opener Tammy Beaumont fell victim to the same bowler, trapped lbw to leave England 20 for two. Emma Lamb came together with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and the pair put on 71 before the the former sent one from Sneh Rana straight into the hands of Harmanpreet Kaur following a run of five overs without a boundary. England were beginning to crumble and India had them four down with just 97 on the board when Sciver-Brunt danced down the wicket to Rana and Rodrigues was on hand to take an excellent catch. Dunkley and Alice Davidson-Richards had the task of steadying the ship and their 106-run partnership gave England licence to try and motor on. Shortly after passing the 200 mark, Davidson-Richards was sent packing after she was stumped by Richa Ghosh. England accelerated in the final three overs, putting on another 36 runs before Dunkley was dismissed by Amanjot Kaur with the final ball having helped to salvage England's innings. India were making the run chase look a formality until Smriti Mandhana nicked Lauren Bell into the gloves of Jones on 28. Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol fell in relatively quick succession. Rawal was bowled by Sophie Ecclestone and Deol was dismissed in sloppy fashion as she failed to ground her bat while running into the crease. Davidson-Richards' inch-perfect throw meant she had to make her way back to the pavilion. The game turned in the hosts' favour midway through the innings after Harmanpreet Kaur was originally given not out for an lbw from Charlie Dean. Sciver-Brunt decided to send it upstairs and the review showed the ball to be hitting the stumps as India went four down. Sharma (62*) and Rodrigues (48) put on what looked to be a match-winning 90 partnership but Bell bounced the latter out to give England glimmer of hope, with India needing 45 from 51. Ghosh also fell but Sharma rotated the strike successfully with Amanjot Kaur to seal the win.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Genie Bouchard will retire from tennis after a final appearance in Montreal
MONTREAL (AP) — Genie Bouchard, who reached the Wimbledon final and two other Grand Slam semifinals in 2014, is retiring from tennis. The Canadian will play in the National Bank Open in Montreal later this month before ending her career, Tennis Canada said Wednesday. The organization said Bouchard, 31, would be given a wild card into the tournament in her hometown. 'You'll know when it's time. For me, it's now,' Bouchard posted on social media, along with pictures of herself playing. 'Ending where it all started: Montreal.' Bouchard reached No. 5 in the WTA rankings and in 2014 won her lone singles title. She lost to Petra Kvitova in the Wimbledon final after also reaching the semifinals that year at the Australian Open and French Open. She got back to the quarterfinals in Australia in 2015, but her career was never the same after she slipped on a wet locker room floor at the U.S. Open later that year and suffered a concussion that forced her to withdraw before her fourth-round match. She sued the U.S. Tennis Association and a jury found that the organization was 75% at fault and she was 25% to blame. Bouchard helped Canada win its lone Billie Jean King Cup title in 2023 but has mostly switched to pickleball, playing just one match on tour this season. She has a career singles record of 299-230. 'She has been one of the most important figures in the history of our sport in Canada and a trailblazer who redefined what Canadian tennis could be," said Valerie Tetreault, the National Bank Open tournament director. "We are proud of everything she has done, as a player and role model, and we can't wait to see her in action one last time at IGA Stadium this summer.' ___
