Athleta is suiting up for tennis. The brand is doing so via a partnership with the USTA, a brand-new 2023 tennis-specific collection and now a March 1 launch of The Power of She Collective initiative that includes former Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig joining the brand as a tennis ambassador.
For Athleta and Puig it isn't about just outfitting an on-court star but connecting girls and women to the sport. That fits right in with the now-retired Puig.
"When I got the call from Athleta, my retirement was very hush-hush," she says. "The first thing I had to tell them with a heavy heart was I'm not going to play tennis anymore. I was surprised they wanted me anyway and are bringing me on this team because they are supporting athletes who are in all different phases of life."
Puig joins Allyson Felix and a host of female athletes as part of the brand's initiative at the start of Women's History Month. While the collective features 11 women from basketball to soccer and figure skating to freestyle skiing, tennis has become not just a part of the new Collective, but also a fresh approach for the brand.
In fall 2022, Athleta and the USTA announced a partnership for Athleta to serve as an official sponsor of USTA League, USTA Player Development Teaching Professional Initiatives and the girls' USTA Foundation Excellence Team for three years. "Between our innovative tennis product and accessories, expanding access to girls from underserved communities and focusing on more diversity in the next generation of leaders in tennis coaching," says Mary Beth Laughton, Athleta president and CEO, "This partnership is poised to make a significant impact on the sport."
"It continues to be a great time for tennis right now in the United States," says Lew Sherr, USTA CEO and executive director. "For the third consecutive year, tennis participation has increased by one million or more new players in the United States. The 23.6 million people playing the sport represents an increase of 5.9 million, or 33 percent, since the start of 2020. Seeing women-specific brands like Athleta getting behind these numbers and wanting to be a part of this healthy movement is a win for all those involved and all those that they will reach over the coming months and years."
Puig certainly hopes so and wants to be a part of it. Following her retirement in 2022, which Puig described as a difficult transition since she planned on playing professional tennis for "many, many more years," she has wanted to stay involved in the sport.
"Tennis will always be my life," she says. "I am still very passionate about being connected to tennis in any way I can, especially in Puerto Rico hosting clinics. I love teaching and encouraging young children. It is something super special when you have a young kid tell you they want to be just like you. Those moments have hit home for me. I want to be setting an example and continuing to spready my wisdom in the sport while encouraging younger kids to get out there and stay active."
Puig, who is also working with ESPN and Tennis Channel, says the renewed interest from brands in the sport makes sense because it is an international sport that is not only athletic, but fashionable. "While we are doing pretty amazing things athletically, we as women like to feel good in what we are wearing as well," she says. "I think it is really smart to move into tennis."
In a recent photo shoot, Puig says having the right clothes made her feel powerful and beautiful. And with so many body types and shapes in the sport, she says, tennis allows brands to connect to more people.
The new collective—Puig says it has felt like a family to work with the group of women—includes a $175,000 donation to the Women's Sports Foundation, an opportunity to reach females of varying ages.
The variety of sports included in the Collective is important, says Felix. "The Power of She Collective is about demonstrating that brands can support athletes holistically, whatever their sport or background, whether they are at a peak in their careers or just starting out," she says. "I love that we have women from a variety of sports in the Collective because it shouldn't matter whether you run track or play tennis—we all deserve equal opportunities, whether you decide to start or family or not."
Felix says that by having women from varying sports helps Athleta continue its performance product creation path it is already on in running, swimming, tennis and golf.
Puig says pairing her love of tennis with an interest in fashion—she admitted she was a "sucker for a cute outfit, a cute little skirt or a cute visor—made it even a more enjoyable.
"It is fun to see," she says about the growing line of gear. "How can we adapt to any individual personality? Athleta is all-inclusive. It is a brand that can empower women." Part of that effort is a new 2023 spring tennis-specific collection, one that Puig says is full of color and vibrancy, along with breathable materials.
"I love fashion and am very much into what I wear day to day," she says. "I love bright colors. I have no doubt Athleta will continue to work on this project and make it even bigger. Sport has a way to bring people together and the message we want to send is that we are a family. We want every woman, girl, mother to feel like they are connected to us in some way and want the brand to be as relatable as possible. I am somebody who is going through a difficult time in my transition to retirement and normal life and want people to look at me and feel that connection."
