The Implications of Naomi Osaka’s Withdrawal From The French Open

Rick Burton, David B. Falk Endowed Professor of Sport Management in Falk College, was quoted in the Quartz story “Brands can’t quit the Olympics,” and the WWD story “Naomi Osaka and the Power of Stardom.”

After Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open, her sponsors issued statements of support for her decision. Burton, a sports management professor, noted, her sponsors could apply some “gentle pressure on her. The more visible she is, the more valuable her sponsorship is.”