Tennis star and quiet sneakerhead Roger Federer is putting his best foot forward in a new partnership with an upstart Swiss running-shoe company with big ambitions.
In a piece which ran in The New York Times, it was announced the 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion was joining up with On as an ambassador as well as an investor and contributing designer. After the partnership was announced, Federer posted pictures of himself at the Swiss company’s office on Instagram.
Though the partnership came about thanks to a dinner with the brand’s founders, Federer was aware of On after noticing people in Switzerland wearing the shoes. “They were impossible to ignore because everyone had them, people on the street, my friends, my wife,” he told The NYT. “At first, I thought that they were a little strange to look at, then I realized I actually really liked the design.”
Federer previously had a deal with Nike which ran for more than a decade, but that ended in 2018. Since then, Federer signed on with Uniqlo as his apparel sponsor for $300 million; he also has ongoing deals with Rolex, Moët & Chandon and Mercedes-Benz, among other brands.
According to On, Federer is already working with the design team on sneaker innovations which should be released in 2020.
“In joining On as an entrepreneur, Roger becomes a close partner to our founders and the On team,” the company said in a statement. “He will use his unique experience to help take our product development, marketing and fan experiences to new levels. Roger will also play a role in developing the athlete spirit that’s at the core of our high-performing culture.”
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