Post by Jasper on Aug 27, 2003 8:46:24 GMT -5
Enjoy this nice article/interview from TennisWeek magazine about "Team Federer":
Alone At The Top
Photo By Susan Mullane By Douglas Robson
08/11/2003
When Roger Federer received a 1700-pound heifer from tournament organizers at the Swiss Open the week after winning Wimbledon, no doubt agents far and wide were grumbling, "See what you get without proper representation?" To be fair, the cow, which Federer named Juliette, was a gift — not the fruits of hard-fought negotiations with the farming community in Gstaad.
The bovine bounty aside, Federer has taken an unusual step in his business career. The young Swiss star is going it alone in the complex world of professional management, marketing and sponsorship. In short, he’s without an agent.
After several years with IMG, the 21-year-old split from the Cleveland-based mega-firm in mid June — just prior to his Wimbledon victory. Instead, Federer is being represented by his father, Robert, a chemical technician; his mother, Lynette, a homemaker; his girlfriend and (currently injured) tennis pro, Mirka Vavrinec; and an assemblage of outside lawyers, accountants and advisors. Team Federer is even incorporated.
The decision to circumvent traditional agencies is hardly unprecedented in tennis. John McEnroe Sr. handled son John’s business dealings for a number of years. Mario Widmer, the boyfriend of Martina Hingis’s mother, took on much of the former No. 1’s deal-making responsibilities. And Andre Agassi, after years with IMG, chose to turn over the bulk of his business dealings to childhood friend Perry Rogers.
Not everyone thinks Federer’s decision is one worthy of a Wimbledon champion — not least of all, other agents. "I think it’s a relatively myopic approach," says Ken Meyerson, a vice president with SFX Sports Group’s tennis division, adding that navigating the crowded and competitive global marketplace is not for amateurs. Meyerson, whose firm represents the likes of Paradorn Srichaphan and Fernando Gonzalez, is equally blunt when he says that Federer could potentially lose "tens of millions of dollars over the course of his career" by foregoing more professional management.
Octagon’s Tom Ross, who represents Lleyton Hewitt, among others, agrees. "Based seemingly on a less-than-productive experience in the past, the Federers may not fully understand or appreciate the benefits of full-service management and expertise," says Ross.
Agents also point out that Federer’s marketability poses particular challenges because of his nationality. Switzerland has a small population, is home to many languages and has distinct cultural differences.
But Federer has a better chance than most in making his new arrangement work. "Everyone in tennis has been waiting for Roger to go the distance at a Grand Slam; so he’s not a flash in the pan," says Ross. "He’s got a lot of upside."
Only time will tell if the move is a good one. "Our game desperately needs stars," says Meyerson. "I hope the decision of Federer to isolate himself will not hurt the game."
What does Team Federer have to say about it all? Tennis Week caught up with Federer and his girlfriend Vavrinec, once ranked as high as No. 76, at their home in Bottmingen at the end of July. Here’s their take:
TW: Roger, you don’t have an agent. Is this why you got a cow after Wimbledon and not a Ferrari?
RF: (Laughs) No, it was a present from the tournament in Gstaad. It wasn’t something I bought. I hope it’s going to be there when I go back.
TW: Why don’t you have an agent?
RF: Well, it’s a long story. I had a manager, Bill Ryan, through IMG. It’s complicated. Somehow I wasn’t allowed to work with him anymore. So I said, “If I can’t work with my manager, I don’t want to be with the company any longer.” I don’t want to say that I lost trust, but I just wasn’t happy with the way things went. I just decided that the best thing right now is to work with people I trust. These are my parents and my girlfriend and my friends. This is the situation. I just want to give it a try. Hopefully, it’s going to work out.
MV: (Roger and IMG) were long enough together and I think Roger just wanted to try something else. IMG is very big. You are just one of many. Roger is a very sensitive person and it was not always the way he wanted; so now he is trying something new. He is getting older and he is making his own decisions.
TW: How long were you with IMG?
RF: Since around 16 (years old). Since I was a teenager.
TW: Mirka, how did you become part of Roger’s management team?
MV: It started as a hobby. It was around the time of my foot operation last year (in May). I began with booking flights and hotels. Roger is not alone; so I did it for his whole team. They were always late, you know, in booking. I loved to do it because I was playing tennis myself before and I never had an agent. I did everything myself from the beginning. The thing is, Peter (Lundgren, Federer’s coach) lives in Sweden; Roger lives in Switzerland. You need a combination of teamwork and lots of communication. You don’t have a business plan like a businessman. They need somebody flexible and I am very flexible and Roger can call me anytime.
TW: How do you juggle it all: the media demands, the product endorsement opportunities, contract negotiations, etc.?
MV: We talk and we put the heads together. The parents do the contract negotiations when it comes to (specific) points. I do the press, the e-mail, the fan posts, the perfume (the new Roger Federer Line), the hotels, the flights. Really, my days are sometimes too short (laughs).
TW: Do you get a percentage of the deals?
MV: No. For sure, later, maybe I’ll get a salary or something. It’s a company. Everybody is working for Roger but we don’t get a bonus or a percentage from deals.
TW: So you’re doing everything for free?
MV: Well, at the moment, yes. Of course, it is not a long time ago that Roger split from IMG. We had to wait until the contract was finished and then we had to form a new company, which was not very easy.
TW: You are now a company?
MV: Yes, it’s called Hippo In-house Management.
TW: Why Hippo?
MV: It’s just a name.
TW: Roger, how is it working so far?
RF: It’s quite fresh, quite new. Of course the Wimbledon victory didn’t help the cause because right now (his parents and Mirka) have more pressure on them. Everybody wants to know everything. That’s why I’m trying to keep it quiet around the management because we’re trying to settle a few things. Not everything is in place yet. My dad is already in negotiation with tournaments, with companies; so we just need a little more time to settle everything.
TW: What’s your mom’s role?
RF: She’s kind of like a secretary, giving an overview, a little bit of everything. She’s writing letters because her English is much better than my dad’s.
TW: How does Team Federer work?
MV: Everyone has his role and his job. We have a lawyer and a tax person who is watching everything and making sure everything goes well like we had at IMG. But this is more private. We know who the people are. We choose them. And they are not far away.
RF: We haven’t had time yet (to figure it all out). We have had a few offers on the table. We talk about it. When I’m home we have to do a lot of meetings, which is OK. Then we decide what to do. Also they speak between themselves, especially my mom and dad, and they decide what’s best for me and also ask for some advice once in a while.
TW: Is this a “between agents” strategy?
RF: No, this is something for long-term.
TW: Do you feel qualified?
MV: Well, I think to deal with the press, and especially now, this was really a big test for me because if somebody wins Wimbledon — I think you know what it means. I had such a tough time for one week (after Wimbledon). It was not hell, but terribly busy. (The phone) was ringing non-stop. All the press, everyone was calling me, everybody needed an interview and appointments and offers and TV and everything.
TW: Have you negotiated any deals yet?
MV: Not really, no.
TW: How did you decide to do it this way?
RF: Before, we had nothing to decide. IMG made all the calls. I trusted in my manager with all the deals he made. Of course in the end, I always decided which tournaments I’m going to play and which sponsors I work for or present myself with. I always could do it. I will get much more inside now, see how everything works. It’s very interesting. Maybe I’ll be a little more involved in the beginning to help out both of my parents. Then I want both of them to take more initiative themselves. And I trust them also.
TW: Is it working so far?
RF: Obviously things have changed if you become a Grand Slam champion, especially Wimbledon. Your market value goes up, you’re more famous in the world. I showed signs before my Wimbledon title, but now I made a really big step ahead by winning at my age. Now we’ll see how many people will want to sponsor me (laughs). I hope it will be a lot. I hope international people will want to sponsor me, not only Swiss enterprises.
Alone At The Top
Photo By Susan Mullane By Douglas Robson
08/11/2003
When Roger Federer received a 1700-pound heifer from tournament organizers at the Swiss Open the week after winning Wimbledon, no doubt agents far and wide were grumbling, "See what you get without proper representation?" To be fair, the cow, which Federer named Juliette, was a gift — not the fruits of hard-fought negotiations with the farming community in Gstaad.
The bovine bounty aside, Federer has taken an unusual step in his business career. The young Swiss star is going it alone in the complex world of professional management, marketing and sponsorship. In short, he’s without an agent.
After several years with IMG, the 21-year-old split from the Cleveland-based mega-firm in mid June — just prior to his Wimbledon victory. Instead, Federer is being represented by his father, Robert, a chemical technician; his mother, Lynette, a homemaker; his girlfriend and (currently injured) tennis pro, Mirka Vavrinec; and an assemblage of outside lawyers, accountants and advisors. Team Federer is even incorporated.
The decision to circumvent traditional agencies is hardly unprecedented in tennis. John McEnroe Sr. handled son John’s business dealings for a number of years. Mario Widmer, the boyfriend of Martina Hingis’s mother, took on much of the former No. 1’s deal-making responsibilities. And Andre Agassi, after years with IMG, chose to turn over the bulk of his business dealings to childhood friend Perry Rogers.
Not everyone thinks Federer’s decision is one worthy of a Wimbledon champion — not least of all, other agents. "I think it’s a relatively myopic approach," says Ken Meyerson, a vice president with SFX Sports Group’s tennis division, adding that navigating the crowded and competitive global marketplace is not for amateurs. Meyerson, whose firm represents the likes of Paradorn Srichaphan and Fernando Gonzalez, is equally blunt when he says that Federer could potentially lose "tens of millions of dollars over the course of his career" by foregoing more professional management.
Octagon’s Tom Ross, who represents Lleyton Hewitt, among others, agrees. "Based seemingly on a less-than-productive experience in the past, the Federers may not fully understand or appreciate the benefits of full-service management and expertise," says Ross.
Agents also point out that Federer’s marketability poses particular challenges because of his nationality. Switzerland has a small population, is home to many languages and has distinct cultural differences.
But Federer has a better chance than most in making his new arrangement work. "Everyone in tennis has been waiting for Roger to go the distance at a Grand Slam; so he’s not a flash in the pan," says Ross. "He’s got a lot of upside."
Only time will tell if the move is a good one. "Our game desperately needs stars," says Meyerson. "I hope the decision of Federer to isolate himself will not hurt the game."
What does Team Federer have to say about it all? Tennis Week caught up with Federer and his girlfriend Vavrinec, once ranked as high as No. 76, at their home in Bottmingen at the end of July. Here’s their take:
TW: Roger, you don’t have an agent. Is this why you got a cow after Wimbledon and not a Ferrari?
RF: (Laughs) No, it was a present from the tournament in Gstaad. It wasn’t something I bought. I hope it’s going to be there when I go back.
TW: Why don’t you have an agent?
RF: Well, it’s a long story. I had a manager, Bill Ryan, through IMG. It’s complicated. Somehow I wasn’t allowed to work with him anymore. So I said, “If I can’t work with my manager, I don’t want to be with the company any longer.” I don’t want to say that I lost trust, but I just wasn’t happy with the way things went. I just decided that the best thing right now is to work with people I trust. These are my parents and my girlfriend and my friends. This is the situation. I just want to give it a try. Hopefully, it’s going to work out.
MV: (Roger and IMG) were long enough together and I think Roger just wanted to try something else. IMG is very big. You are just one of many. Roger is a very sensitive person and it was not always the way he wanted; so now he is trying something new. He is getting older and he is making his own decisions.
TW: How long were you with IMG?
RF: Since around 16 (years old). Since I was a teenager.
TW: Mirka, how did you become part of Roger’s management team?
MV: It started as a hobby. It was around the time of my foot operation last year (in May). I began with booking flights and hotels. Roger is not alone; so I did it for his whole team. They were always late, you know, in booking. I loved to do it because I was playing tennis myself before and I never had an agent. I did everything myself from the beginning. The thing is, Peter (Lundgren, Federer’s coach) lives in Sweden; Roger lives in Switzerland. You need a combination of teamwork and lots of communication. You don’t have a business plan like a businessman. They need somebody flexible and I am very flexible and Roger can call me anytime.
TW: How do you juggle it all: the media demands, the product endorsement opportunities, contract negotiations, etc.?
MV: We talk and we put the heads together. The parents do the contract negotiations when it comes to (specific) points. I do the press, the e-mail, the fan posts, the perfume (the new Roger Federer Line), the hotels, the flights. Really, my days are sometimes too short (laughs).
TW: Do you get a percentage of the deals?
MV: No. For sure, later, maybe I’ll get a salary or something. It’s a company. Everybody is working for Roger but we don’t get a bonus or a percentage from deals.
TW: So you’re doing everything for free?
MV: Well, at the moment, yes. Of course, it is not a long time ago that Roger split from IMG. We had to wait until the contract was finished and then we had to form a new company, which was not very easy.
TW: You are now a company?
MV: Yes, it’s called Hippo In-house Management.
TW: Why Hippo?
MV: It’s just a name.
TW: Roger, how is it working so far?
RF: It’s quite fresh, quite new. Of course the Wimbledon victory didn’t help the cause because right now (his parents and Mirka) have more pressure on them. Everybody wants to know everything. That’s why I’m trying to keep it quiet around the management because we’re trying to settle a few things. Not everything is in place yet. My dad is already in negotiation with tournaments, with companies; so we just need a little more time to settle everything.
TW: What’s your mom’s role?
RF: She’s kind of like a secretary, giving an overview, a little bit of everything. She’s writing letters because her English is much better than my dad’s.
TW: How does Team Federer work?
MV: Everyone has his role and his job. We have a lawyer and a tax person who is watching everything and making sure everything goes well like we had at IMG. But this is more private. We know who the people are. We choose them. And they are not far away.
RF: We haven’t had time yet (to figure it all out). We have had a few offers on the table. We talk about it. When I’m home we have to do a lot of meetings, which is OK. Then we decide what to do. Also they speak between themselves, especially my mom and dad, and they decide what’s best for me and also ask for some advice once in a while.
TW: Is this a “between agents” strategy?
RF: No, this is something for long-term.
TW: Do you feel qualified?
MV: Well, I think to deal with the press, and especially now, this was really a big test for me because if somebody wins Wimbledon — I think you know what it means. I had such a tough time for one week (after Wimbledon). It was not hell, but terribly busy. (The phone) was ringing non-stop. All the press, everyone was calling me, everybody needed an interview and appointments and offers and TV and everything.
TW: Have you negotiated any deals yet?
MV: Not really, no.
TW: How did you decide to do it this way?
RF: Before, we had nothing to decide. IMG made all the calls. I trusted in my manager with all the deals he made. Of course in the end, I always decided which tournaments I’m going to play and which sponsors I work for or present myself with. I always could do it. I will get much more inside now, see how everything works. It’s very interesting. Maybe I’ll be a little more involved in the beginning to help out both of my parents. Then I want both of them to take more initiative themselves. And I trust them also.
TW: Is it working so far?
RF: Obviously things have changed if you become a Grand Slam champion, especially Wimbledon. Your market value goes up, you’re more famous in the world. I showed signs before my Wimbledon title, but now I made a really big step ahead by winning at my age. Now we’ll see how many people will want to sponsor me (laughs). I hope it will be a lot. I hope international people will want to sponsor me, not only Swiss enterprises.
Thanks Leo! Very nice of you to post this article!! 
