Naomi Osaka's sponsor future after French Open exit

A host of brands have come out in support of Naomi Osaka after the tennis star opened up about her struggles with mental health as part of her withdrawal from the French Open. In the past, such subjects may have been taboo, but no longer. Branding experts say that celebrities and athletes are more willing to vocalize their personal beliefs and struggles. This authenticity resonates with consumers—and brands are backing the stars for it. “The move towards social justice over the last several years has given athletes a heightened voice and over time, they’ve extended that to other areas of keen interest and personal importance to them—[including] their own mental health,” says David M. Carter, associate professor, sports business at the USC Marshall School of Business. “Years ago, owners, sponsors and media partners were reluctant to allow that platform but now, if you are not providing full-throated support for an athlete’s voice, then the belief is you are going to harm your own brand.” Over the weekend, the French Tennis Federation fined Osaka over her refusal to participate in press conferences; the tennis star later withdrew from the tournament, detailing her struggles in a statement. “The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that,” she wrote. “Anyone that knows me knows I’m introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I am often wearing headphones as that helps my social anxiety. I am not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media.” Last year, Osaka surpassed Serena Williams as the world’s highest-paid female athlete, earning $37.4 million, according to Forbes. Following her statement, several of Osaka’s sponsors came to her defense. “Our thoughts are with Naomi. We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience,” said Nike in a statement. The sportswear giant first began working with Osaka in 2019 in a high-profile deal. Similarly, salad chain Sweetgreen, which recently tapped Osaka as its first athletic ambassador, shared a statement on Twitter from Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Nathaniel Ru. “Our partnership with Naomi is rooted in wellness in all its forms. We support her in furthering the conversation around mental health and are proud to have her as part of the sweetgreen team,” he said. Mastercard and Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer also made statements of support. Matt Powell, VP and sports industry analyst at NPD Group, says that large-scale press conferences like the one Osaka declined to speak at are no longer as relevant as they were before social media. “The younger athletes today know that they can communicate with their fans directly through social media and they don’t need to go through the charade of the press conference,” he says, noting that such direct communication helps provide such athletes with an authenticity that resonates with their fans. He also notes that Nike has a history of supporting its athletes—in this case, the relationship with Osaka is less about tennis footwear and apparel sales, which are typically small, according to Powell, but more about association with an authentic and outspoken athlete. “This is a branding story for Nike—they’ll never earn out the contract in terms of merchandise sales but their association with her remains valid,” Powell says. “Even if she’s not playing, that value goes down somewhat but it’s still of value for Nike just like Kaepernick.” Of course, experts say it could be challenging for sports brands associated with Osaka if she does not return to tennis tournaments soon. Tennis analyst and former player Pam Shriver told the New York Post she thinks Osaka's status for Wimbledon is "very much in doubt." But her standing with brands is high enough that she could be an appealing ambassador for other categories of business, even if she is out for an extended period. Already, Sweetgreen is working with the tennis pro on wellness-related initiatives. “Osaka may find herself compelling to different kinds of sponsors that embrace that balance between professional performance and personal wellbeing,” Carter says. “She’s got to continue to present a consistent personal brand and not deviate from that. The last couple of days is not a deviation from that, it’s a greater revelation about it that many people can relate to and that brands will want to support.”

How Naomi Osaka's French Open exit affects her sponsorship future

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