ARTICLE · 14 AUGUST 2018

Roger Federer Still Able To Surprise After All These Years

KISCH IP

Explore more from KISCH IP

Tennis fans flock to courtsides and televisions to watch Swiss tennis sensation Roger Federer and instantly recognize the iconic RF Logo that has become synonymous with the man.

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Author LinkedIn connections

Tennis fans flock to courtsides and televisions to watch Swiss tennis sensation Roger Federer and instantly recognize the iconic RF Logo that has become synonymous with the man. However, fans will, no doubt, be outraged to find out that Federer is currently engaged in a legal wrangle with his former sponsor, Nike, about ownership of the renowned logo. Federer was sponsored by Nike for virtually his entire professional sporting career, spanning 24 years, up until a few months ago when the sponsorship deal came to an end and, much to everyone's surprise, Uniqlo stepped into Nike's shoes and signed a new sponsorship deal with Federer.

The US Trade Marks register shows that Nike is in fact the registered owner of Federer's RF Logo, an arrangement that is very common in the high value deals struck between sports stars and their corporate sponsors.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Soft Coffee v Nonnas Pasta: One Mark, Two Different Uses

South AfricaIntellectual Property

One Letter, Two Classes: Trolley Company V Riekert And The Limits Of Paring Down

South AfricaIntellectual Property

African Fruit Breeders Turn Plant Variety Rights Into Market Leverage

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Your Brand, Their Domain: What Can You Do?

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Is Your Trade Mark Portfolio Keeping Up With Your Business?

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

Comparative Guide

Franchise & Licensing

Comparative Guide

Patent Litigation

Comparative Guide

Intellectual Property

Comparative Guide

Trademark Disputes

See more popular content from

Intellectual Property

Constitutional Court Delivers Landmark But Incomplete Copyright Ruling. Parliament Must Now Seize The Opportunity To Modernise South Africa’s Copyright Law For The AI Era

South Africa's Constitutional Court has delivered a landmark ruling on the Copyright Amendment Bill, upholding the controversial shift to 'fair use' while striking down broad educational exceptions for textbook copying. The judgment leaves critical questions unresolved about contract terms, ministerial powers, and the Bill's complete silence on generative AI—creating both constraints and opportunities as Parliament must now revisit legislation conceived over a decade ago.

South AfricaIntellectual Property

When Brands Get Patriotic

The South African flag represents more than national identity—it's a protected symbol with strict legal requirements for commercial use. Businesses seeking to incorporate the flag into their branding or products must navigate complex regulations under the Heraldry Act and Merchandise Marks Act, requiring ministerial consent before use in trade marks, packaging, or advertising.

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Doing Business in Ghana

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Werksmans Attorneys

Shein's RICO Lawsuit And The Role Of Responsible AI In Preventing Future Legal Controversies

In July 2023, three independent designers filed a lawsuit in California against Shein, the popular online fashion retailer. They allege that Shein sold exact copies of their work which infringes their copyright...

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Unpacking The Trend: The Truth About Parallel Imports And What Consumers Need To Know

As a millennial, it took me a while to embrace the Tiktok trend and ‘get with the Gen Z program'. In between billable work one evening, I found myself scrolling on the app...

South AfricaIntellectual Property

How BMW (Quietly) Won "Rolls Royce" From Volkswagen And Why It Still Matters

In the late 1990s a tussle over Rolls‑Royce played out between Volkswagen ("VW") and BMW. While Volkswagen paid more for the carmaker, it was BMW who ended up with the brand.

South AfricaIntellectual Property

From Template To Trade Mark: Is Your Logo Legally Yours?

In today's digital-first world, graphic design platforms like Canva and Adobe Express have become indispensable tools for entrepreneurs.

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Apple vs Taction | Small Component S, Substantial Patent Risks

The vibration that signals an incoming message or confirms a payment is a small part of our smartphone experience. Yet the technology responsible for that response was recently at the centre of a US$5.7 billion patent verdict against Apple, demonstrating the commercial significance of inventions embedded within a much larger product.

South AfricaIntellectual Property

The Growing Push For AI Transparency: What South African Businesses Should Know

As artificial intelligence transforms content creation across industries, businesses face mounting questions about transparency, consumer trust, and legal compliance. With the EU mandating disclosure of AI-generated content and South Africa developing its own AI policy framework, companies must navigate emerging risks around intellectual property infringement, misleading representations, and brand protection in an increasingly synthetic media landscape.

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Who Really Owns The Ip In Your Stacker? Oem Rights In Mining Equipment Under South African Law

Mines often believe that stackers, reclaimers, and shiploaders can only be serviced by the original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) because of associated intellectual property (“IP”) rights. The matter is further complicated when the OEM's IP changes hands. Mines may then have competing claims

South AfricaIntellectual Property