When Iga Świątek and Carlos Alcaraz hoisted their trophies on the clay courts of Roland-Garros last year, gone were their terry-cloth wristbands. In their place were Rolex watches—their gold crown logos a ubiquitous presence in the professional tennis world. Rolex has been the official timekeeper of the French Open since 2019, when it replaced fellow […]
When Iga Świątek and Carlos Alcaraz hoisted their trophies on the clay courts of Roland-Garros last year, gone were their terry-cloth wristbands. In their place were Rolex watches—their gold crown logos a ubiquitous presence in the professional tennis world.
Rolex has been the official timekeeper of the French Open since 2019, when it replaced fellow Swiss watchmaker Longines and rounded out its portfolio of sponsorships of all four Grand Slam tournaments. Now, the top matches in the world are played against a backdrop of green Rolex signage, with gilded clocks displaying the time—and the Rolex brand—from the corner of the court. And though Roger Federer, likely its best-known ambassador (or “testimonee” in Rolex parlance), retired from the pros a few years ago, the watchmaker’s roster today includes many of the sport’s highest-ranked players.
“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex, and that comes both from the breadth of their assets and from the continuity of their investments,” Ricardo Fort, the founder of Sport by Fort Consulting and former head of global sponsorship teams at Visa and The Coca-Cola Company, tells Front Office Sports.
While Rolex’s relationship with Roland-Garros was initially focused on brand visibility and timekeeping, it has now evolved into a “strategic alliance,” says Arnaud Delaplace, partnerships director at the Fédération Française de Tennis, the governing body that organizes the tournament. “Rolex is an integral part of the Roland-Garros experience. It’s a partnership built not just on branding, but on shared values and mutual elevation.”
It’s the kind of association that most marketers dream of, especially as the luxury world increasingly sees brand-building opportunities in sports. Along with tennis, Rolex has ties to golf, yachting, motorsports, and equestrian, all of which it has cultivated over decades. The company has used feats of athleticism in its advertising since the 1920s, when swimmer Mercedes Gleitze swam the English Channel in a Rolex Oyster, which it then touted as “the wonder watch that defies the elements.” Still, it wasn’t until the 1960s that the watchmaker made a strategic pivot that would transform its identity—and set the tone for an entire industry.
Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
According to Pierre-Yves Donzé, a professor of business history at Osaka University and the author of The Making of a Status Symbol: A Business History of Rolex, the brand began working with New York advertising agency J. Walter Thompson, which steered its client away from solely touting their watches’ technical prowess.
“There was a very long relationship between sports timing and Swiss watchmakers before Rolex. … But the objective was to advertise precision and performance,” Donzé tells FOS. Instead, the agency advised Rolex to appeal to customers’ desire for personal excellence and sense of their own potential heroism. In one well-known series of ads, images of sailing feats, icy slopes, and speeding race cars accompanied variations of the copy: “If you were here tomorrow … you’d wear a Rolex.” The brand also brought athletes further into the fold during this time, signing star golfer Arnold Palmer and pro skier Jean-Claude Killy in what would become two of its most significant long-term partnerships.
Rolex had established a groundbreaking strategy: After all, Palmer didn’t wear the watch to improve his game—in fact, he didn’t wear it on the course at all, including in Rolex ads. Rather, he appealed to consumers on a personal level as a charismatic, stylish sportsman at the top of his game. “It was because he was excellent that he embodied the values of the brand,” explains Donzé. “It’s not an instrument, Rolex; it’s an accessory to show your social status.”
The brand’s distinct identity became rooted not just in precision engineering but in a successful lifestyle. Rolex was no longer merely a watch—it was a symbol of achievement.
This, as it turned out, was a compelling draw for customers and helped catapult the brand to the top of its industry. Today, Rolex dominates its peers, accounting for more than 32% of the Swiss watch market, according to estimates by Morgan Stanley. The company has been owned by a private charitable trust since the death of its founder, Hans Wilsdorf, in 1960, and doesn’t publicly disclose sales figures. Per Morgan Stanley, though, in 2024, the brand sold more than one million timepieces, recording estimated sales of 10.6 billion Swiss francs ($12.86 billion).
Scaling an audience while maintaining the exclusivity required in luxury branding is a challenge, and tennis is one of the few sports that offers both. Until this year, Rolex was also the official timekeeper for Formula One for over a decade as the races gained more and more mainstream appeal. This season, though, the brand was replaced by watchmaker TAG Heuer as part of a 10-year, multibrand deal between F1 and the world’s largest luxury group, LVMH, reportedly worth more than $100 million per year.
“I think that it’s probably safe to say that part of the reason TAG Heuer and LVMH were very interested in that Formula 1 relationship was the fact that Rolex had had it for so long, and it clearly had paid dividends for the brand,” Brendan Cunningham, a professor of economics and the author of Selling the Crown: The Secret History of Marketing Rolex, tells FOS.
Still, the landscape of F1 has changed significantly in recent years, with new tech, crypto, and fast food sponsors entering the fray and viewership ballooning during the COVID-19 pandemic following Netflix’s docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive. While these are positive developments for the growth of the sport, Fort speculates Rolex may not have signed on if the opportunity were presented today.
TAG Heuer, meanwhile, has both a legacy in motorsports (it was the first brand to sponsor a team in 1971) and a more approachable price point than its predecessor (around $1,500 for an entry-level watch compared with upward of $6,500 for a Rolex). As part of the partnership, the LVMH-owned brand will also become the first title sponsor of the Monaco Grand Prix this month, giving it a substantial boost in international visibility.
Whether the TAG name will eventually be synonymous with F1 remains to be seen, but there is an established playbook it could follow. “Every new brand, luxury or non-luxury, that is interested in using sports to differentiate itself and be more attractive to its consumers can learn from Rolex,” says Fort, pointing also to Heineken’s relationship with F1, which includes three Grand Prix title sponsorships and a partnership with world champion Max Verstappen, and Coca-Cola’s with soccer, which spans grassroots programs, major tournaments, and more than 100 professional clubs, teams, and federations globally.
Of course, very few brands have the resources to commit to a sport so holistically—never mind compete with Rolex and LVMH where they have already staked a claim—but smaller luxury brands have found creative avenues.
Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Cunningham notes Rolex typically sticks to individual sports, in which “it’s more possible for a personality to pop out and be connected with the brand.” This has left a gap in team sports—one that Swiss watchmaker Breitling moved into in 2024 with the launch of an official NFL collection spanning all 32 teams in the league. The limited run of watches retailed for $9,200 each, and according to watch outlet Hodinkee, it may have been only the beginning of a larger partnership with the league, giving Breitling a valuable platform in the American market.
For brands, sponsorships are shortcuts to awareness, credibility, and storytelling, says Fort. Nowhere is its storytelling power clearer than in Rolex’s just-launched documentary series chronicling the triumphs and perseverance of various members of the “Rolex Family,” including tennis stars Coco Gauff—whose video has racked up more than six million views in a few days—and Carlos Alcaraz. The series leverages archival and contemporary footage and intimate interviews not just to market watches, but also to create a narrative around excellence on and off the court.
At Roland-Garros, the brand’s mythos adds a sense of gravitas to the tournament’s wins and losses.
“Rolex brings something deeply emotional and symbolic to Roland-Garros. Its presence creates an atmosphere—a quiet but powerful signature that gives the tournament a sense of timelessness,” says Delaplace.
Coastal Carolina coach says CWS ejection was unwarranted and he was wrongly accused of bumping ump – 960 The Ref
OMAHA, Neb. — (AP) — Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall, tossed from the game along with first base coach Matt Schilling in the first inning of the College World Series finals Sunday, said his ejection wasn’t justified and he was wrongly accused of bumping an umpire. Walker Mitchell was at bat with two outs and […]
OMAHA, Neb. — (AP) — Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall, tossed from the game along with first base coach Matt Schilling in the first inning of the College World Series finals Sunday, said his ejection wasn’t justified and he was wrongly accused of bumping an umpire.
Walker Mitchell was at bat with two outs and Sebastian Alexander had just stolen second base when Schnall went to the top steps of the dugout, gestured at plate umpire Angel Campos with three fingers and began shouting at him.
The NCAA said Schnall was arguing balls and strikes, was given a warning and thrown out when he did not leave immediately. Instead, Schnall went onto the field to continue arguing.
The Tigers won 5-3 for their second national championship in three years.
When Schnall was arguing with Campos, one of the base umpires ran toward the confrontation and fell on his back.
“If you guys watch the video, there was a guy who came in extremely aggressively, tripped over Campos’ foot, embarrassed in front of 25,000, and goes ‘two-game suspension’ and says ‘bumping the umpire,’ Schnall said. ”There was no bump. I shouldn’t be held accountable for a grown man’s athleticism. Now it’s excessive because I was trying to say I didn’t bump him.
“It is what it is. If that warranted an ejection, there would be a lot of ejections. As umpires, it’s your job to manage the game with some poise and calmness and a little bit of tolerance.”
A spokesman said the NCAA stands by its original statement on the incident when asked for comment on Schnall’s remarks about bumping an umpire.
The NCAA in its initial statement on the incident said Schnall and Schilling engaged in “prolonged arguing,” which is to result in a two-game suspension. Schnall would miss the first two games of the 2026 season.
Schilling was thrown out for the comments he made while arguing, the NCAA said. If an assistant is ejected, he automatically also is suspended for one game. Schilling also got an additional two-game suspension under the “prolonged arguing” rule, the NCAA said. That means he will miss the first three games next year.
Associate head coach Chad Oxendine took over Schnall’s duties.
Schnall said he couldn’t hear Campos’ initial warning when he was arguing balls and strikes from the dugout.
“As a head coach, it’s your right to get an explanation for why we got warned,” Schnall said. “I’m 48 years old and I shouldn’t get shooed by another grown man. When I came out, I got told it was a warning issued for arguing balls and strikes, and I said it was because you missed three. At that point, ejected. If that warrants an ejection, I’m the first one to stand here like a man and apologize.”
That wasn’t going to happen.
“I’m not sorry for what happened,” he said. “I’m sorry for this being over. I’m sorry for how it ended.”
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Ranking the top eight Big Ten football NIL valuations for 2025
Being able to compensate college athletes over the last few years has changed the landscape of college sports, most notably the revenue behemoth that is college football. Name, Image and Likeness has helped usher in a new era of bidding wars and recruiting efforts that didn’t exist just less than a decade ago. And now, […]
Being able to compensate college athletes over the last few years has changed the landscape of college sports, most notably the revenue behemoth that is college football. Name, Image and Likeness has helped usher in a new era of bidding wars and recruiting efforts that didn’t exist just less than a decade ago. And now, with the House Settlement, things will change even more.
Especially at a place like Ohio State that has a huge athletic department and a massive budget.
But NIL is still in practice, and there are still athletes getting paid for the usage of their name, so it’s a big deal. We always hear about the astronomical figures the top-end stars are pulling in, but there are smaller ones as well. However, the multi-million dollar contracts aren’t as prevalent as one would think. In fact, we’re ranking the top Big Ten NIL valuations, and there are fewer than ten that make the list worth mentioning.
Here’s a list of the top eight NIL valuations according to On3 in the Big Ten, ranked from least to most expensive. You may be surprised by what and who is on this list., and of course, the bigger programs with the most money like Ohio State appear on this list more than some that do not at all.
Stewart had a great year last season, but played second fiddle to Tez Johnson in star power. This year, it should be him as the No. 1 threat and player personality many will follow.
NIL Valuation | $1.8 Million
National Rank – No. 21
Singleton is entering his senior year and is part of a running back tandem that should be very dangerous this season. He’s a star running back for Penn State, and that alone garners attention and a pretty significant NIL package.
No. 6 – Nico Iamaleava, Quarterback | UCLA Bruins
NIL Valuation | $2 Million
National Rank – No. 19
Nico is well-known after having a fantastic season last year with Tennessee. He is one of the most recognizable quarterbacks with all the potential he possesses with his dual-threat ability, and now he’ll be doing his work out in Westwood for UCLA.
NIL Valuation | $2.3 Million
National Rank – No. 17
Raiola’s commitment was highly publicized. He first committed to Ohio State, then Georgia, before finally landing at Nebraska, where he had family ties. He had a very impressive, though a bit inconsistent freshman campaign and should be poised for a continuation and further breakout in 2025.
No. 4 – Caleb Downs, Safety | Ohio State Buckeyes
NIL Valuation | $2.4 Million
National Rank – No. 15
Downs came to Ohio State via the transfer portal after becoming a freshman All-American at Alabama. He had a stellar sophomore campaign in Columbus and is a fan favorite. He might be the best defender in all of college football, playing for arguably the most-followed college football program. That all translates to a massive NIL package.
There is a ton of hype for the No. 1 quarterback coming out of high school, and Michigan is hoping he makes good on all of it. There was a lot of buzz surrounding his recruitment, and he has many folks following what he might do at the college level, even though he has yet to do anything in Ann Arbor.
No. 2 – Drew Allar, Quarterback | Penn State Nittany Lions
NIL Valuation | $3.1 Million
National Rank – No. 8
Allar was a five-star quarterback coming out of Ohio before committing to play for Penn State. Though he has yet to win the biggest of games, he has a big arm and is the face of the Nittany Lions’ chances at not only making the College Football Playoff, but going on a run to a national championship.
Everyone knows Smith. He was an absolute star who flashed on the scene for Ohio State as a freshman after being ranked as the top overall recruit in the 2024 class. He more than made good on all that buzz and is arguably the best player in college football returning for two more seasons, still in Columbus. He is adored in Central Ohio and feared across the rest of the country.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
Notre Dame misses out on top women’s college basketball recruit
The Fighting Irish are on the lookout for fresh talent to help keep them on an upwards trajectory under Niele Ivey, but have suffered a blow after losing out on one top star 15:25 ET, 22 Jun 2025Updated 15:27 ET, 22 Jun 2025 Notre Dame women’s basketball head coach Niele Ivey has suffered a blow […]
The Fighting Irish are on the lookout for fresh talent to help keep them on an upwards trajectory under Niele Ivey, but have suffered a blow after losing out on one top star
15:25 ET, 22 Jun 2025Updated 15:27 ET, 22 Jun 2025
Notre Dame women’s basketball head coach Niele Ivey has suffered a blow in recruitment for her 2026 class
Notre Dame women’s basketball has suffered a major setback in its recruitment for its 2026 class after missing out on elite prospect Savvy Swords.
The Fighting Irish are keen to continue adding to their squad in years to come as part of efforts to land them a first national championship since 2018, yet head coach Niele Ivey and co. will have to do so without the 5-star wing after she committed to Kentucky on Saturday.
It comes as Notre Dame added a fifth player to combat the departure of Olivia Miles after Kelly Ratigan decided to join via the transfer portal last month. The Fighting Irish had already acquired the services of Gisela Sanchez, Malaya Cowles, and Vanessa de Jesus, and more could still follow.
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With regards to next year’s roster, however, Notre Dame will have to keep searching for the next best thing after losing out on the services of Swords, who also had offers from South Carolina, UCLA and Michigan, according to On3.
The 6-foot-1 star from Brookville (NY) Long Island Luthera is currently ranked No. 9 in On3’s top 2026 recruits in the nation, perhaps most notably averaging 16.3 points and six rebounds per game for Canada at last year’s U17 FIBA World Cup.
Swords achieved those stats while shooting 50 per cent from deep and 88 per cent from the free throw line, highlighting her versatility and strong ability to shoot from deep and rebound the ball at a high level.
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The teenager is the younger sister of current Michigan women’s basketball player Syla Swords, who earned freshman All-American and All-Big Ten honors in 2025. The 19-year-old is also a member of the Canadian national team and was an Olympian in 2024.
Swords took to Instagram on Saturday to announce her commitment to Kentucky, uploading a series of images from her signing shoot alongside the caption: “Big blue business. Let’s workk #committed.”
Her older sister, Syla, commented “so proud” followed by four love heart emojis, while premier point guard Maddyn Greenway, who was Kentucky’s first commitment in the 2026 class, wrote: “TEAMMIEEE.”
Notre Dame has already obtained the commitment of four-star college basketball prospect Bella Ragone to its 2026 class, who announced her decision with a TikTok video last month.
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In Ragone, the Fighting Irish have landed themselves a top-25 2026 wing, beating over 35 schools including Iowa, UCLA, and UNC to her signature. The 6-foot-2 wing from Georgia became the first commit in Notre Dame’s 2026 class.
Ranked No. 25 overall in the ESPNW 2026 rankings, Ragone used her brand of humor to announce her commitment, posting a short skit joking about telling a boy she’d be playing in Indiana. When he guessed Purdue, the clip cut to Ragone in a Notre Dame No. 5 jersey, flashing the camera with a smile and the caption, “Holy Airball.”
On Instagram, she reposted the announcement with a simple “Go Irish,” followed by clovers and her social media exploded with congratulatory messages from coaches, teammates, national recruits, and some of the most influential names in the game on her level.
Colorado’s NIL Director Explains Why Mothers Can’t Be Agents, Despite Exceptions Like Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels
In today’s NFL, family often plays a big role in a player’s inner circle, especially mom. Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels have both shown this by employing their mothers as their agents, proving that, despite what some may say, moms can negotiate contract deals and become certified agents. For Jackson, his mother, Felicia Jones, acts […]
In today’s NFL, family often plays a big role in a player’s inner circle, especially mom. Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels have both shown this by employing their mothers as their agents, proving that, despite what some may say, moms can negotiate contract deals and become certified agents.
For Jackson, his mother, Felicia Jones, acts as his manager without NFLPA agent certification. Meanwhile, Jayden’s mother, Regina Jackson, holds her NFLPA certification and also has a dual master’s degree in hospital administration and entrepreneurial business.
That’s why, when the University of Colorado’s NIL director, Reggie Calhoun Jr., made this comment about mothers acting as agents, it caught us a bit off guard.
“Mom’s job is not to negotiate your deal. She doesn’t have that skill set. Mom has never negotiated a deal in her life. Her job is bookkeeping. Mom has always been good at keeping books. Let that be Mom’s job. Your agent is doing sales,” Calhoun shared via The Business of Athletes.
They’re puzzling remarks coming from Calhoun. A bit of basic research shows he never made it past the college level, so should he really be advising players on something he has little experience with?
As mentioned, Lamar has no agent. His mother, Felicia, serves as his business manager. And just to rub it in the face of Calhoun, she even negotiated her QB son’s massive 5-year, $260 million extension in 2023. So, what is the Colorado director even talking about?
Furthermore, Jayden’s mom, Regina, is a certified NFLPA agent. It’s something she worked hard toward becoming, going back to when he was at LSU. Now, she’s been spotted on several occasions by Jayden’s side as his mentor, seemingly keeping the star QB out of trouble.
All in all, Calhoun’s opinions on mothers being agents fall apart when you examine the landscape of today’s NFL. Lamar and Jayden are not the only ones to ever have their mothers represent them as agents. Odell Beckham, Jaylon Jones, and Preston Brown are all current and former players who opted to do the same.
Additionally, studies show that players in the 18-21 range are using their parents more than ever for representation. The trend may even continue to grow, as NIL rules become more stringent.
But through very different models, both Lamar and Jayden have shown us that it’s possible to be an elite NFL quarterback while having a mother as an agent. Certified or not, it can work both ways.
Top 2026 prospect Savvy Swords commits to Kentucky
Top 2026 prospect Savvy Swords has committed to Kentucky, she announced on Saturday evening. Swords, a 6-1 wing from Brookville (NY) Long Island Lutheran chose the Wildcats over UCLA, South Carolina, Michigan and Notre Dame. Swords is the younger sister of current Michigan women’s basketball player Syla Swords. Savvy is ranked No. 9 in On3’s […]
Top 2026 prospect Savvy Swords has committed to Kentucky, she announced on Saturday evening. Swords, a 6-1 wing from Brookville (NY)Long Island Lutheran chose the Wildcats over UCLA, South Carolina, Michigan and Notre Dame.
Swords is the younger sister of current Michigan women’s basketball player Syla Swords. Savvy is ranked No. 9 in On3’s recent update of the top 2026 recruits in the nation. She’s a versatile threat who has a strong ability to shoot from deep and rebound the ball at a high level.
Last year for the U17 FIBA World Cup Canadian National Team, she averaged 16.3 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 50% from deep and 88% from the free throw line.
Swords is Kentucky’s second commitment in the 2026 class, as they’ve also landed premier point guard Maddyn Greenway.
“In high school, I’m very much scoring at all three levels and playmaking,” Greenway told On3 in a previous interview. “I’m undersized, so I utilize my speed a lot and play at a fast pace. I thrive in transition. When I play at EYBL, I play more of a true point guard role and passing first.”
The Wildcats are still in on some of the top recruits in the nation, including Olivia Vukosa, Mimi Thiero and Emily McDonald.
Predicting ratings of Clemson football’s top 5 players in College Football 26
Between Cade Klubnik and Peter Woods, the pick for the highest-rated Tiger wasn’t an easy one. I opted to go with Woods because many consider him the best defensive lineman in college football and the projected No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Which is a fair assessment of the superstar on the […]
Between Cade Klubnik and Peter Woods, the pick for the highest-rated Tiger wasn’t an easy one. I opted to go with Woods because many consider him the best defensive lineman in college football and the projected No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Which is a fair assessment of the superstar on the defensive line.
Woods may not have the defensive numbers that TJ Parker did during the 2024 season but that’s because it’s much more difficult to put up gaudy numbers as a defensive tackle compared to an edge rusher. He still managed to finish with 28 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and three sacks to go along with a forced fumble. He’s considered one of the most dominant players in the country.
Entering his junior season, Woods is probably the best defensive lineman in the sport and he should be treated as such via the College Football 26 ratings.
