Fila has extended its Premier Sponsorship agreement with the BNP Paribas Open, the largest ATP Tour and WTA combined two-week event in the world, to be held March 4-17, 2019 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
With the multi-year agreement Fila will remain the Official Apparel and Footwear Supplier of the event, providing custom uniforms for event staff, volunteers, ball kids and officials. For the 2019 tournament, all ball kids will wear Fila’s new Axilus 2 Energized performance tennis shoes as part of their on-court uniform.
In addition, Fila will continue to have a large retail presence on-site at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, offering fans a wide array of tennis and heritage apparel, footwear, and accessories. Fans will have the opportunity to purchase the latest Axilus 2 Energized performance tennis shoes as well as special limited edition collaboration shoes specifically created for the BNP Paribas Open, and clothing collections that will be seen on-court on Fila sponsored players.
“Fila’s long running partnership with the BNP Paribas Open has been an exceptional showcase for our brand,” said Gene Yoon, Global Chairman at Fila. “This event is the crown jewel in our global tennis portfolio, and it fits perfectly with our commitment to innovation, performance and style. We are thrilled to extend our sponsorship and look forward to bringing our beautifully designed and versatile apparel and footwear to fans in Indian Wells for years to come.”
“Fila has been a magnificent partner of the BNP Paribas Open, and we are excited to extend our relationship,” said Marketing Director Philippe Dore. “Over the past few years Fila expanded their retail footprint during the event, worked with us to create unique offers for fans, and continued to play a critical role by outfitting everyone involved with the event. We love working with partners that are always looking for opportunities to activate and enrich the experience each year at the tournament.”
As part of the agreement, Fila will expand its involvement in the Oracle Challenger Series by providing ball kids, volunteers and officials uniforms for each event. The Series is a four tournament circuit, features women (WTA 125) and men (ATP Tour Challenger) at each event, and aims to support up-and-coming American tennis players by giving the top two American men and women who earn the most points over the course of the Series main draw wild cards into the BNP Paribas Open.
Fila will also continue its role at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden (IWTG) throughout the year by outfitting teaching professionals and tennis club staff, and supporting the IWTG junior academy and local National Junior Tennis & Learning events. Fila and the tournament will also explore hosting a juniors’ event on-site during the BNP Paribas Open in the future.
