Fila extends partnership with ITHF
July 9, 2013
NEWPORT, R.I. — Fila, a longtime leading brand in the tennis industry, has signed a multi-year sponsorship as the Official Apparel and Footwear Supplier of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. Fila has been involved as a key partner of the International Tennis Hall of Fame for many years. The renewed partnership represents the most comprehensive relationship to date, featuring activation across the Hall of Fame’s multiple platforms, including the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour event taking place this week; the Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend; and The Legends Ball, an annual gala event hosted in New York City during the US Open. The partnership also includes having Fila’s tennis line available for sale in the Hall of Fame Tennis Club Pro Shop and retail stores year-round. Additionally, Fila is an important partner of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, where numerous iconic Fila tennis apparel pieces are showcased among the museum collection.
“Fila is one of the all-time great brands of our sport. Fila and the Hall of Fame are very much in sync with our goals and missions. Fila has been part of so many great moments of tennis history, and like the Hall of Fame, remains committed to playing an active role in growth of the sport today. We are very pleased to continue our relationship with Fila and look forward to building on the partnership together,” said CEO Mark L. Stenning.
“Tennis is an integral part of the Fila brand, and we are thrilled to extend our partnership with the International Tennis Hall of Fame, an organization that celebrates the sport like no other. It is important to Fila to honor the heritage and history of tennis, and to remain active in today’s game, and our partnership with the Hall of Fame offers a unique opportunity to achieve both of those goals,” said Gene Yoon, CEO of Global Fila. “We look forward to further developing our successful relationship in the years ahead.”
Fila’s sponsorship will be highly visible at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships this week and at the Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony festivities on July 13. Now in its 37th year, the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships is the only ATP World Tour event in the Northeast and the only pro event played on grass courts in North or South America.
Tournament ball kids, volunteers, and staff at the events will be outfitted in Fila apparel from head to toe. A highlight of this year’s apparel will be the debut of the new Fila Sentinel. The sneaker, which officially hit stores in mid-June, is designed in a modern silhouette with comfort, durability and traction in mind and engineered to endure the rigors professional match play.
In addition, fans will have access to a Fila retail shop on-site, featuring the company’s latest tennis, fitness, and lifestyle apparel, as well as the Sentinel sneaker. The Hall of Fame’s pro shop and gift shop also sell a comprehensive array of Fila products year-round.
Fila’s long and distinguished relationship with tennis is highlighted year-round in the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, where iconic apparel from great champions and historic moments are on display as part of the museum collection. Throughout the museum galleries, Fila helps to showcase the rich history of the sport through displays including Bjorn Borg’s Wimbledon apparel, outfits worn by Kim Clijsters in Grand Slam finals, and dramatic imagery of great moments from champions like Monica Seles, Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, and Jennifer Capriati in Fila.
Fila is also an active partner in the Hall of Fame’s mission to inspire the future of the sport. To make the Hall of Fame & Museum experience fun and engaging for kids, Fila has developed a museum scavenger hunt specific to great moments in tennis history featuring players who wore Fila.
In addition to the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, Fila is highly active in the tennis community, and is also a sponsor of the Sony Open and the BNP Paribas Open. The company also sponsors top ATP World Tour and WTA athletes including Janko Tipsarevic, Andreas Seppi, Jelena Jankovic, Julia Goerges, Nadia Petrova, and Yaroslava Shvedova.