Yonex expands badminton commitment with BWF deal

Japanese sports equipment manufacturer Yonex has entered into a long-term partnership with the Badminton World Federation.

The five-year deal runs until the end of 2021 and names Yonex as the BWF’s official equipment partner for major events.

The agreement covers the World Championships and Sudirman Cup, as well as the Thomas and Uber Cup finals. The deal commences in May with the Sudirman Cup in Gold Coast, Australia before this year’s World Championships in August in Glasgow, Scotland.

As an official sponsor, Yonex will offer on-site racket-stringing services to all players at BWF-organised major events. The company will also provide court mats, shuttles and nets.

In addition, Yonex will benefit from activation and promotional opportunities as part of the agreement.

The deal was brokered by the Infront Sports & Media agency, the BWF’s exclusive media and marketing partner.

Yonex chairman Ben Yoneyama said: “While this partnership focuses on major events, we look forward to collaborating with BWF on a wider scale to help boost the development of badminton as we move towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Yonex has a strong presence within badminton and its equipment has been used at the summer Olympics since the 1992 Games in Barcelona.