Roger Federer-backed On soars to new heights
— On sees impressive revenue growth and profitability, while footwear giants Nike and Under Armour aren't doing so well.
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On keeps soaring. On, the fast-growing Swiss shoe brand, saw revenue of ~$2 billion for 2023, a 55% increase from the previous year. On also maintained high profitability, with a 59.6% gross margin, and it is in no hurry to stop, with management forecasting over $2.5 billion in sales in 2024.
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Roger Federer doesn’t miss. He invested in On in 2019, and reportedly owns around 3% of the company. His stake, based on On’s current market cap, is estimated to be worth north of $300 million. His signature On shoe a la “The Roger” is receiving rave reviews.
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Federer is raking in the money. Federer remains the most marketable star in tennis even after his retirement, boasting of partnerships with the world’s leading brands. His portfolio is second to none, including sponsorships with Rolex, Louis-Vuitton, UBS, Mercedes-Benz, not to mention Uniqlo, which locked him up in 2018 under a ten-year, $300 million deal. He was 9th on Forbes’ list of the highest paid athletes in 2023.
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Meanwhile, other footwear giants are on shaky ground. Nike’s revenue was down 2% in the fourth quarter of 2023-2024, and the markets haven’t reacted well, with its stock plummetting 31% this year. The company projects a further slump in 2025. Similarly, Under Armour is facing challenges too, with minimal sales growth and a dim outlook.
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Past Bagels
See our previous newslettersThe Super Bowl remains must-watch TV, while the Oscars' decline continues
— This year, the Super Bowl drew an estimated audience of 127.7 million viewers, the largest audience for a Super Bowl in TV history. Meanwhile, the Oscars viewership has shown a general decreasing trend over the last two and a half decades. In 2000, almost 50 million people tuned in to watch the Oscars. This year? Less than 20 million.
Tom Brady is the highest-paid sports media personality in America
— Stephen A. Smith’s new 5-year $100M deal with ESPN puts him at No. 3 among the highest-paid sports media personalities in America. Shaq and Charles Barkley are in the mix too with big TNT contracts. But no one comes close to Tom Brady—his $37.5M annual salary with Fox is in a league of its own.
Polymarket makes waves in the sports market
— The prediction market sees $348 million in sports trade volumes in December, a big gain from the $66 million it saw in October. Polymarket eyes sports and crypto as its two key categories of expansion as it looks to reduce its reliance on the 4 year cycle of politics.
The NFL Salary Cap reaches all-time high in 2025
— The NFL Salary Cap per team has increased from $224.8 million in 2023 to $279.2 million today, the largest 2-year increase ever.
Lakers vs. Mavericks Delivers Blockbuster TV Ratings
— Luka and LeBron’s Lakers vs. Mavs averaged 2.5M viewers, the highest NBA audience on cable since Opening Night.
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