Tennis should embrace social media influencers, says Roger Federer

Roger Federer says that tennis should embrace TikTokers, YouTubers and Instagrammers if it wants to reach new, younger audiences, following complaints from players at the US Open about disruption during play.

Speaking to the FT on the eve of the Laver Cup in London, Federer said online influencers had become a vital part of the sport and media ecosystem, and shunning them would put the long-term future of tennis at risk.

“They’re here to stay,” the 20-time Grand Slam winner argued. “They actually make the tennis way more appealing and more digestible.”

Major sporting events, including the four tennis Grand Slams, have been looking to influencers to boost interest with younger audiences. But their increasing presence has become a source of tension, especially in tennis where etiquette is core to the sport.

At the US Open earlier this month, several players complained about the disruption caused by content creators using lights during filming or making noise while recording dance routines as play took place.

Federer said it was “not OK” for anyone to make noise during play, adding that recent events at the US Open were “probably one step too far”.

He added: “The beauty of tennis, in my opinion, is the quiet and then, bang, an explosion of cheers. We need to maintain that.”

However, competition organisers also needed to move with the times, Federer argued. He said they would come under increasing pressure to allow content creators to use clips from matches, rather than “hoarding” material to protect their live rights.

“In the beginning it is uncomfortable to have a bit of change. Nobody likes change and in tennis we’re the masters of saying ‘Let’s just keep it the same as it is for the next thousand years’. But we’re doing better.”

Across a range of sports, competition organisers have been grappling with changing consumer habits, with young people less likely to watch live events. As well as working with influencers — the US Open accredited around 100 of them — tennis competition organisers have produced video games in an effort to reach future fans.

The Laver Cup, which Federer co-founded in 2017 with his longtime agent and business partner Tony Godsick, has leaned into the influencer economy as it looks to broaden its fan base and commercial reach, even hosting a content creator day on Thursday at London’s 02.

The three-day team event, based on golf’s Ryder Cup, pits a team of six top men’s players from Europe against their global counterparts. This year’s line-up includes Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz.

The contest has been riding a boom in sporting sponsorship and premium hospitality. Last year’s Laver Cup brought in revenue of around £35mn, up from £23.2mn in 2024. The event generated a profit of around £3.2mn last year when it was held in San Francisco. Godsick said shareholders were constantly investing in the business and not concerned about short-term profitability.

Tennis has seen an influx of money in recent years, from sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms and wealthy individuals. The Women’s Tennis Association sold a 20 per cent stake in its commercial arm to CVC Capital Partners in 2023 for $150mn, while a consortium led by Hollywood power broker Ari Emanuel spent more than $1bn to buy the Madrid and Miami Open events last year.

Godsick said the owners of the Laver Cup, which include the US and Australian tennis federations, had knocked back several approaches to invest from outside parties because there was no need for additional capital. But he left the door open to a potential stake sale in the future.

“If there was a strategic partner that came and explained to us how they can help us with their expertise and their platform to get to the next level, we would probably look at it,” he said.