The U.S. Open has begun and Andre Agassi has rightfully received the majority of media attention. But as Harvey Araton in the New York Times suggested yesterday, lost among the Agassi tribute is the recognition of the best player in the world - Roger Federer.

This problem is not unique to this year's U.S. Open. Federer has been on one of the most remarkable runs in tennis history. With the exception of Rafael Nadal on clay, no one has been able to beat him, yet his name in America at least is hardly celebrated like other international superstars such as Woods, Beckham, and James.

Why isn't Federer a star? It certainly isn't because of a lack of winning; he already has eight majors. An answer is that Federer has no clear brand identity. Who is Roger Federer? What is his type? What is his character? What does he stand for? Unlike Tiger Woods, Federer lacks the dramatic storyline, communication skills, and crossover pop culture appeal that is so critical to building a strong brand. In order to capitalize on his winnings, Federer needs to be humanized - his personality must come to life in interviews, his storyline of how he made it to where he is must be refined, and his identity must be differentiated from his competitors through his distribution strategies. It may be that Federer has no desire to be an international superstar with a strong following in the United States, but the struggling sport of tennis could certainly benefit from his achievements by transforming him into an international icon.

The case of Federer demonstrates a critical issue in sports marketing - winning isn't everything. There are other examples of strong star brands such as women's golfer Annika Sorenstam and IRL driver Dan Wheldon who are top athletes in their sports but have not been able to break through a cluttered sports marketplace like fellow competitors Michelle Wie and Danica Patrick. What can separate these kinds of stars is transformation, a process that includes targeting fan markets, establishing the star's identity, defining his or her type and character, and refining core communication skills. The difference between someone like Federer and an athlete like David Beckham is not necessarily their achievements but their understanding of global fan expectations and their willingness to be branded.

http://select.nytimes.com/2006/09/02/sports/tennis/02araton.html?_r=1

This entry was posted by Ben Shields on Sunday, September 3. 2006 at 07:47. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own blog.