Sporticast: What’s Up With the French Open Fashion Friction?

On the 555th Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including some simmering tension between tennis’ biggest tournaments and fashion brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

Tennis players have long been attractive endorsers for luxury brands—the sport’s clientele, locations and vibes all align—and recently the push for product placement has spilled onto the court itself. Jannik Sinner’s decision to bring a Gucci duffel bag onto Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2023 sparked a clarification on the WTA Tour’s rules regarding what brands can appear on court. Those limits continue to be pushed today, most recently by women’s No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who took the court at the Rome Open earlier this month with a $3,600 Gucci handbag.

The hosts talk about this fashion tension, and why it might be happening. They also talk about Sabalenka herself. She’s the most dominant player in the women’s game, but until very recently didn’t seem to draw much attention from the major apparel brands that dedicate a lot of money and design resources to outfit—often ornately—some of the sport’s top players.

Next the hosts talk about a lawsuit involving MLB star Fernando Tatis Jr. When he was 18 and one of the sport’s top prospects, Tatis signed a contract with Big League Advance that paid him $2 million up front in exchange for 10% of his future on-field MLB earnings. He signed a $340 million deal recently, which means Big League Advance stands to profit significantly off the deal. Now he’s fighting it in court. The hosts talk about the business model, why it’s often misunderstood and why it also could be predatory.

They close by talking about a handful of other topics, including the NFL’s ongoing media rights and the Enhanced Games.

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