Marketing Tennis Apparel

With millions of casual and professional players and a worldwide following as one of the most popular spectator sports, there's no wonder that sports apparel companies capitalize on the marketing potential by having the players wear various kinds of tennis apparel. That's why we see a lot of the stars wearing definitive collections of clothes from major sports clothing brands such as Nike, Adidas, and others.

An excellent example of this is the current marketing of the clothing lines of top players in men's singles such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Both players are under Nike when it comes to their tennis gear, and the contrast between the apparel of the two players works to the company's advantage. Aside from the stark difference in playing style, the two figureheads of the tennis scene also have contrasting tennis fashion sense. Nike works this to its advantage by making the players' tennis gear fit their own personal styles. Federer is the formal one, with his thigh-length shorts and standard-fit polos. Nadal is the renegade, with his sleeveless tops, capri shorts, and broad bandanas.

While men's tennis seems to be a stickler for the traditional style, women's tennis has seen tremendous variations over the years. Perhaps it has to do with the equation of women and fashion—there's just too much to play with when it comes to women's clothing.

Who can forget Serena Williams' shiny black catsuit in the 2002 US Open? There's also Bethanie Mattek's body-hugging leopard-print getup in the 2004 US Open. Then again, when it comes to over-the-top outfits, Maria Sharapova's Swarovski-studded gear bedazzled the US Open in 2007.

Another factor that women's tennis has going for it is the sex appeal. Yes, folks, there are a ton of people who watch women's tennis because those long-limbed ladies are simply irresistible in the variety of tennis gear. Some might find the fashion sense of scantily-clad women's tennis players somehow offensive.

However, the fanciful garb combined with the on-court action really just blends into something that transcends form and skin. The curves of the players are accented by the motion of their skirts, which make watching women's tennis a visual treat all its own. That's why many find delight in seeing the various forms of Dinara Safina, Ana Ivanovic, and Maria Sharapova whether it's on TV, on the Net, or live.

Marketing tennis players and their apparel sometimes overshadows the game itself. For example, one of the most well-known tennis stars is Anna Kournikova. A quick scan of her pro career shows nothing spectacular, although she was one of the best doubles players in the women's circuit back then. In singles, though, she had 4 finals appearances in 130 tournaments, and never winning one. She never made it to any Grand Slam event final.

Still, her celebrity came mainly from becoming one of the poster girls for tennis apparel. She became popular and appreciated for her modeling shoots, which have been perceived as quite sexy and beautiful. Just how popular did she become? Get this: Her name was one of the most-searched strings of text on Google a while back.

Tennis apparel, in its various forms and incarnations, has tremendous marketing potential. So long as you can find the right type of gear for the right kind of player, it's a winning combination.