A blockbuster sporting event and the epitome of relaxed French style have come together with the announcement today that renowned lifestyle brand LACOSTE will sponsor and provide official on-court uniforms for the Australian Open from 2009.
LACOSTE will become the exclusive outfitter of the tournament both on and off the courts, dressing all lines people, officials and ballkids.
The sponsorship includes a 350 square metre retail space in an exciting new on-site location. This spectacular retail hub will house the LACOSTE spring/summer clothing collection, including the Australian Open outfits to be worn by Andy Roddick and Richard Gasquet, along with a full range of footwear and accessories.
With a strong and unique heritage in the world of sports due to its origins and to its founder, the famous "Crocodile" tennis champion René Lacoste, LACOSTE today implements an active sponsorship policy. LACOSTE's values of integrity, performance and elegance are exemplified by a number of ambassadors, including tennis players Andy Roddick, Richard Gasquet and Tatiana Golovin. LACOSTE also has a presence at prestigious international tennis events such as Roland Garros, the Tennis Masters Cup and the US Open which together add up to an estimated 1.4 billion TV viewers a year worldwide.
LACOSTE will also benefit from the Australian Open’s profile as a global brand and the significant international exposure and enormous media coverage the two-week event receives.
“Just as Rene Lacoste revolutionised sportswear when he invented the polo shirt, the Australian Open has always been an innovator in terms of how a Grand Slam tennis event is presented, while always, like LACOSTE, respecting the style, history and champions of the past,” Tennis Australia CEO, Steve Wood said.
“We look forward to a great relationship with LACOSTE, a global brand which, like the Australian Open, the Grand Slam of Asia Pacific, can trace its roots to the birth of modern tennis," Wood said.
“Becoming an official sponsor of the Australian Open is part of LACOSTE’s global strategy within the Asia Pacific region and therefore shall contribute to extending and reinforcing the presence of the brand in this region. Presently visible in tennis events mainly during the northern summer, we seek this opportunity to be visible all year round in major tennis tournaments. With this agreement, the crocodile brand is proud to be present in three of the Grand Slam tournaments,”Michel Lacoste, Chairman of LACOSTE, said today.
To launch the sponsorship agreement between Lacoste and the Australian Open Steve Wood will attend LACOSTE's exclusive showing at New York Fashion Week on Saturday 6 September.
