17
Novak Said No To Nike Three Times
16 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
By Scoop Malinowski
An interesting fact has been revealed this week – Novak Djokovic declined three different multi-million dollar contract offers to become a Nike athlete, according to former Nike tennis director Mike Nakajima, in a book titled, “The Roger Federer Effect.”
But now Nakajima, no longer employed with the athletic attire and shoe company, is seemingly bending his beliefs to benefit the book’s agenda and Federer’s image while concurrently joining the anti Djokovic establishment alliance.
“He (Djokovic) could well be the most successful tennis player ever. But there’s always a dark cloud around him. It’s like he brings it upon himself,” said Nakajima. “As a brand – do I want to be behind somebody who always has controversy around him?”
Nakajima knows controversy sells and Nike surely benefited enormously from the colorful controversies created by Nike athletes Andre Agassi and Nick Kyrgios.
“Roger and Rafa, they’re very similar personalities. But on the court, they were completely different. Roger plays like he is walking on a cloud, light on his feet. Rafa is the opposite. Nadal’s physicality is just brute force. Americans love rivalry, and we [Nike] portrayed that. People love taking sides. ‘Vamos Rafa!’, ‘Allez Roger!’ And we had a lot of fun marketing those two.”
An interesting angle in this story is how Nakajima felt about another controversial Nike athlete Marcelo Rios, who was called “The Most Hated Man In Tennis” by Sports Illustrated in a feature story in their March 23, 1998 issue.
“Many players despise Rios, ” says a veteran pro player quoted in the story written by Franz Lidz. “After five years on the tour, he’s still extremely aloof, still has no social graces, still acts as if no one exists but him. It’s not just his snottiness that bothers players – it’s his general lack of respect for them.”
The week after the story came out, Rios had the last laugh by winning Miami Open vs. Andre Agassi in the final, which elevated Rios to the ATP from world no. 3 ranking to no. 1, which rewarded the Chilean wizard with $2.5m bonuses from his sponsors Nike and Yonex.
For my 2011 book about “Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew”, Nakajima was kind enough to do an interview and share insights and details about Rios, who he called “one of my all time favorite athletes that we had.”
Nike made it’s move and snatched Rios from adidas at Wimbledon in 1997. Despite the bad image Rios had with the public and media, Nike and Nakajima were happy to stand behind, support and sponsor Rios. For my Rios book Nakajima said: “We felt like Rios was the guy. When we consider an athlete, we’re not looking at guys who are vanilla, plain. We’re always looking for attitude, players who can win Grand Slams. I love Tim Henman and Todd Martin but they weren’t the kind of athletes we went after. Rios was. He fit our mold.”
You could be reasonably sure that if Djokovic did sign with Nike for the reported figure of $30,000,000, and Nakajima got to know Novak personally, the executive would most likely have a more glowing and favorable view of the superstar Serbian kingpin, just like he does about Marcelo Rios.
Addendum: Thanks to a reminder from fellow tennis journalist Miguel Seabra, Nike once sponsored and loyally stood behind the most controversial bad boy in tennis history – John McEnroe. Nike fully sponsored McEnroe in the mid 80s and the “Superbrat” wore Nike shoes and shorts and polos. In fact McEnroe is still contracted to wear Nike. For those who don’t remember, McEnroe was such a troublemaker and irritating offensive figure that actor Charlton Heston, a major tennis buff, once said he was quitting tennis because of McEnroe’s disrespectfulness of the game, an anecdote which is in Gardnar Mulloy’s book “As It Was.” There is no documentation that Nike or Nakajima didn’t want to “stand behind” or be associated with someone who like McEnroe “who always had controversy around him.”
Marcelo Rios · Nike · Novak Djokovic · Serbia
zivota · February 17, 2023 at 12:59 pm
We hope one day without fear to talk about the sponsor agents and their involvement in doping, top countries athletes, in training camps for 2020 Olympic Games before cancellation came along, in one African country. How much of that are in other individual sports?
Scoop Malinowski · February 17, 2023 at 1:20 pm
Marcelo Rios: “If Agassi or Sampras ever tested positive for nandrolone, you guys in the media would never hear about it because they mean too much to the economics of the tour.”
Jonas Bjorkman: “I have heard of positive drug tests being covered up by the ITF.”
The topic of to what degree major shoe, clothing and racquet sponsors may interfere or even dictate the sport is a fascinating discussion which will probably always remain shrouded in secrecy.
Scoop Malinowski · February 17, 2023 at 7:49 pm
Iga is on a rampage, just destroying quality players like Collins and Kudermetova quickly and easily.
catherine · February 18, 2023 at 3:09 am
That was the best I’ve seen Iga play. Her serve has improved recently and she is by far the fastest mover in the WTA. When she’s at her best she seems to see the ball a split second ahead of everyone else. So she has time for her stroke.
(They used to say the same about Don Bradman, the great Australian cricketer.)
But I expect Pegula will ask a few more questions.
Scoop Malinowski · February 18, 2023 at 8:07 am
Catherine, Iga may rampage through Pegula too. That loss to Pegula looks as curious as the Wimbledon loss to Cornet.
catherine · February 18, 2023 at 11:34 am
Looks like Iga had all the answers 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · February 19, 2023 at 7:42 am
Catherine yes and maybe she flunked the test intentionally in January?
catherine · February 19, 2023 at 12:14 pm
Stephanie Myles
@OpenCourt
‘You won’t be hearing much criticism this week and next about *issues* from many media covering the ATP and WTA events.
The tournament sent out an offer to journalists for free airfare, accommodations, food, whole nine yards.’
If this is true then I think it’s slightly disgraceful. I shall keep an eye out for media which don’t cover these events.
Scoop Malinowski · February 19, 2023 at 6:08 pm
Yes Catherine, some tournaments have done this, they want coverage and pay the expenses, smaller tournaments in China did this, I know one reporter who went. Tennis needs coverage, quality coverage. It has happened for years.
Scoop Malinowski · February 19, 2023 at 7:38 pm
Interesting Marcelo Rios lawsuit, which I am a small part of… https://www.latercera.com/la-tercera-domingo/noticia/la-funa-que-enfurecio-a-marcelo-rios/7O5SW27635GCNAN4E4ER7PUYLM/?outputType=amp&fbclid=IwAR1JLzTE_Z4ACs5KOUUo16nhEawsHXgfwS0fTWI_NxGWJ_cme7hSEIyhQFY
catherine · February 20, 2023 at 7:48 am
Yes – tennis is so low down the totem pole for anything other than major events, ie GSs, that sports editors won’t even bother asking management for expenses. They know the tournaments will pay.
The Guardian has a strict code about this so you won’t see their tennis writer very often, unless Raducanu changes coaches or breaks a leg.
Scoop Malinowski · February 20, 2023 at 9:42 am
Catherine, are you implying all tournaments outside Grand Slams are like minor leagues, like when Pete Sampras famously once said “Nobody remember who wins Philadelphia.” One thing I find curious is now that Sam Querrey is a pickleball star, he’s showing his personality. Last week he did a video of him training like Rocky Balboa hardcore for his pro pickleball matches coming soon. It was funny, he did it in the theme of the Rocky movies famous training scenes. He never or very rarely showed this side of his funny personality in tennis and the question is Why? Is tennis too pressure filled? Fear of media reaction or criticism? Pickleball is a more casual enjoyable culture and camaraderie than ATP?
catherine · February 20, 2023 at 11:46 am
Really, I don’t know. I’ve seen comments suggesting that there are too many tournaments, and there is a certain truth in Pete’s comment. Few people really do remember/care who won Philly unless they are rabid fans.
Of course for GSs to be successful there have to be smaller events but those are inevitably seen as minor leagues for 90% of the media. Stands will only be filled for the odd star/hyped player. You need supporting casts but they won’t make money or get coverage.
Reputations are made at GSs. Terrific pressure. (IW tries to be a GS but everyone knows it’s not.)
If Pickleball had similar events you’d see the players quickly get back into their shells. Law of the jungle.
Scoop Malinowski · February 20, 2023 at 12:33 pm
The promotional emphasis is on the stars but it should be about the sport itself. Or are certain players bigger than the sport itself? I know it’s a simplification but people like to see a big dramatic grudge match or a great thrilling fair duel. I’ve seen some and some of my own local amateur tournaments matches had bigger crowds than some pro matches I’ve seen on tv.
catherine · February 20, 2023 at 4:13 pm
Tennis made stars – right from the beginning. They weren’t/aren’t ‘bigger than the sport’ because the sport is the stage and great players fill it. Otherwise the stage is empty.
Can’t get away from that.
You can have exciting matches between well matched opponents at the local level – it’s the same sport but in some way a different activity on a different stage.
Scoop Malinowski · February 20, 2023 at 4:18 pm
Catherine, you have heard of the Tiger Woods effect, if he made the cut, ticket sales, tv ratings and everything doubled. I’m sure it was the same with Federer, Serena, Andre, Pete, etc. McEnroe carried the senior tour, he was the ticket seller. The signs only had his name, even the last one he played in Tampa I went to and only his name was on the signs posted around, Blake, Courier also played but McEnroe was the ticketseller. I think this proves certain stars are bigger than the sport, the sport needs them to profit and thrive and sustain.