Why no signature shoes in tennis?

[VictorS.]

Everyone knows about the popularity and success of many of the signature shoes in basketball. Players like Michael Jordan, Walt Frazier, Penny Hardaway were pioneers in a sense. They paved the way for many of the athletes of today who have their own signature shoe. Now numerous players and numerous shoe brands have signature shoes for their athletes. Even a few female basketball players have had their own shoes.

My question is this: Why hasn't tennis caught on to this phenomena??? We've seen them with some of the older retired players: Stan Smith, Nastase, Lendl, and Laver. However why doesn't Nadal or Federer have a shoe named after them? I would think the shoe would do well.

 

[nalbandian_fan]

Roddick has a signature shoe

 

[zhan]

Hewitt's got one from Yonex
Federer's shoe = what?
Nadal's Max Breathe 3's r technically trade-marked
Barricades are very popular among all players...

 

[goober]

Hewitt's got one from Yonex
Federer's shoe = what?
Nadal's Max Breathe 3's r technically trade-marked
Barricades are very popular among all players...

Strange response.

Hewitt's wears the SHT-305 but it is not a signature shoe. If it were a signature shoe it would be the Yonex Hewitts or something similar that bears his name.

what does your answers of the Barricades or BF3s have to do with anything? I don't think you understand the concept of a signature shoe. Reread what the OP wrote.

 

[OrangeOne]

Everyone knows about the popularity and success of many of the signature shoes in basketball. Players like Michael Jordan, Walt Frazier, Penny Hardaway were pioneers in a sense. They paved the way for many of the athletes of today who have their own signature shoe. Now numerous players and numerous shoe brands have signature shoes for their athletes. Even a few female basketball players have had their own shoes.

My question is this: Why hasn't tennis caught on to this phenomena???

I think the answer is this simple:

In basketball, the shoe is the most marketable piece of "equipment". There's no other tool, and the clothing is issued by the teams.

In tennis, the racquet is the most marketable piece of equipment, with a secondary bet on the clothing. Shoes come a distant third.

 

[AJK1]

In Australia, Dunlop has a signature Pat Rafter, Ken Rosewall, and Evonne Goolagong-Cawley range of tennis shoes.

 

[VictorS.]

Obviously Federer isn't the big star that he is in Europe however I would think a Nike Air Federer shoe would do quite well. They could even switch up the color schemes based on the season (ie wimbledon all-white, red/orange for roland garros, they usually go with a blue during the us open season).

 

[goober]

Obviously Federer isn't the big star that he is in Europe however I would think a Nike Air Federer shoe would do quite well. They could even switch up the color schemes based on the season (ie wimbledon all-white, red/orange for roland garros, they usually go with a blue during the us open season).

I don't know. It seems the Nike shoes are already doing well without a specific Federer shoe. Nike's strategy of having many pros wear their shoes and not tying shoes to a specific person appears to work quite well. If you tie your shoe to a specific person what if that person gets involved in a scandal, suddenly drops significantly in rankings or decides to leave for a better endorsement deal or demands more money in the second year of the contract than you are willing to pay him?

 

[guedoguedo]

nm..................

 

[snoflewis]

nm..................

great response

anyway, i agree that racket is bigger in the game of tennis than shoes. in basketball, you have cameramen showing zooms of shoes, but you don't really see that in tennis, but you do see what racket they are "using"

 

[Dopke]

Stan Smith, Nastase, Lendl, and Laver are legends.

Federer and Nadal are no where near to having a shoe named after them. Pete Sampras would get a shoe named after him before Federer does.

 

[OrangeOne]

Stan Smith, Nastase, Lendl, and Laver are legends.

Federer and Nadal are no where near to having a shoe named after them. Pete Sampras would get a shoe named after him before Federer does.

You make it sound like having a shoe named after you is the same as being awarded a hall-of-fame position or similar. It's simple marketing. If one of the big companies think it'll sell better than alternatives, they'll do it.

 

[goober]

Stan Smith, Nastase, Lendl, and Laver are legends.

Federer and Nadal are no where near to having a shoe named after them. Pete Sampras would get a shoe named after him before Federer does.

Almost all the named shoes came out while the players were still playing. Natase was a great chracter and a good player, but I don't know if I would classify him as a legend. Shoe companies really haven't put out signature shoes for tennis in awhile otherwise there would have been Sampras/Agassi and other models by now.

 

[Dopke]

Hm, I stand corrected. I didn't know they came out while they were still playing. In any case, I didn't mean to imply that having a shoe named after you makes you a hall-of-famer, but usually you have to be pretty good to have a shoe named after you. And IMO, although Federer and Nadal are at the top of the game right now, and Federer has been at the top of the tennis game for the past 2+ years, he's still got a ways to go to reach the same echelon that Sampras/Agassi iare in.

 

[morten]

Sampras is a legend, but no shoes for him....

 

[Mike Danger]

you do know that agassi has his own signature shoes right?

 

[TheSneakerologist]

Obviously agassi's old air tech shoes with nike are irrelevant. Anyways I think fed is tryna do the same thing as sampras did with the air oscillates. He seems to wear the vapor speeds exclusively just like sampras wore the oscillates even after they were discontinued. Tryna copy pistol pete eh?

 

[Ten.Is]

Agassi had and probably still do have signature shoes. I remember in middle school wearing them. So comfortable...memories...:mrgreen:

 

[9000tennis]

Well just do like me and make your own DIY signature tennis shoes!
I took a pen and wrote "Vamos my a**" on the side!
But you are free to write anything you want

 

[Fred The Red]

about signature shoes.

i think they should even have to give Federer his own Nike clothing line!!

like the greatest Nike athletes: Tiger Woods, Jordan, Lance Armstrong,...

 

[Douggo]

I used to have a pair of Puma Boris Beckers...

 

[morten]

At this very moment i wear the old Reebok tennis pump from 89, Chang(not signature though,,but how can you not think of Chang when you see them) Very sweet and very 80s style, i dont play tennis in them though. I am not a Chang fan, but this shoe is so special. I am a collector also. I wish i could find some Adidas Lendl shoes soon.