BNP Paribas Open aces Fila extension

Italian sportswear brand Fila has renewed its premier sponsorship agreement with leading tennis tournament the BNP Paribas Open.

Fila has agreed a multi-year extension of its partnership and will remain the official apparel and footwear sponsor of the event, which is held annually at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California.

Under the agreement, Fila will provide staff, volunteers, officials and ball boys and girls with uniforms for the duration of the two-week tournament. It will also supply t-shirts for children taking part in the Open’s Kids’ Day School Team Tennis Challenge. The company’s on-site store will again be present at this year’s event.

Fila will also unveil its brand new range of tennis apparel and high-performance tennis shoe, the Cage Delirium, during the tournament. In addition, the company will provide year-round apparel for IWTG staff and will also extend its backing to local schools and junior initiatives.

Raymond Moore, chief executive of the tournament, said: “Whether it is through their retail space, outfitting our volunteers, or via activations at events like Kids’ Day, Fila is always seeking to connect with our patrons and create a more engaging and dynamic experience at the BNP Paribas Open, and we greatly value that in a sponsor.”

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep of Romania are the defending men’s and women’s champions respectively. This year’s tournament takes place from March 7-20.

The BNP Paribas Open is the world’s largest ATP World Tour and WTA Tour combined two-week event. It is commonly regarded as the sport’s unofficial fifth grand slam.