American Icon Andre Agassi’s Rebellious Three-Word Insight That Revolutionized $72 Billion Worth Industry

Former American tennis star Andre Agassi was a different kind of tennis player. He was loud on the court and loved the attention he received because of it. A perfect mix for any company looking for investment. Back in his playing days, Sneaker giant Nike approached Agassi for a shoe design. Here, the American star gave a unique line that became legendary.

Nike started looking at tennis in a completely different way after Agassi’s design. It also changes their approach toward their customers. Here’s what happened.

When Andre Agassi changed the way Nike looked at tennis

Before signing Andre Agassi, Nike used to design and manufacture tennis shoes only for athletes. By understanding their requirements and keeping the element of comfort in mind, they designed the shoes. However, when Agassi came in, he suggested a line, “Anti Country Club,” to add to the design.

This changed the way Nike was looking at the tennis sneakers business. As per the reports from GQ.com, Tinker Hatfield, the legendary Nike designer, said, “Andre was different. He lived in Vegas, for crying out loud. He was the perfect vehicle for us to turn tennis into a different kind of sport.”

Taking the idea from here, Nike designed Air Tech Challenge II—Agassi’s second signature sneaker—with advanced cushioning and wild neon tones. which had a great market response. “It became part of the street culture. It helped us become a tennis company with an edge,” Hatfield added.

While Agassi was a style icon for sure, his absolute greatness as a tennis player aided the fandom and, in turn, benefitted the associated brands as well. The sneaker industry today is worth $72 billion.

Read more: ‘I Have a Steel-Trap Memory’- Andre Agassi Once Revealed How He Hated ‘School’ Just to Please His Disciplinarian Father

The style icon Agassi was the heartthrob of many, and people loved him for his looks as well. However, a personal secret that he maintained from the mere age of 19 threatened his mental health.

Agassi used a wig to maintain his charisma

Andre Agassi, ‘the punisher’, with beautiful long hair, had many fans who followed him for his game as well as his style. His long and silky locks were particularly very famous among the masses. Many of his fans used to have the same haircut while supporting their favorite tennis star.

However, it tragically didn’t last long for the American as he started losing his hair at the very young age of 19. Now Agassi shifted to using hairpieces to keep his fandom intact. However, the legend later revealed that it was affecting his mental health, as he was scared that the wig will come off in the middle of a match.

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Agassi, however, later came off clean and embraced his baldness. Despite the change, his fans were still there to support their favorite tennis star.