Slazenger

Slazenger is a British sports equipment brand owned by the Frasers Group (formerly Sports Direct). One of the world's oldest sport brands, the company was established as a sporting goods shop in 1881 by entrepreneurial brothers, Ralph and Albert Slazenger, in Cannon Street, London.[1] Slazenger was acquired by Dunlop Rubber in 1959. Dunlop was acquired by BTR in 1985. Sports Direct acquired the business in 2004.

Frasers Group offers a range of products under the Slazenger label, including equipment for cricket, field hockey, golf, swimming, and tennis, and a clothing line. Slazenger produced the official football match ball for the 1966 FIFA World Cup.[2]

Slazenger has the longest-running sporting sponsorship in the world, thanks to its association with the Wimbledon Tennis Championship, providing balls for the tournament since 1902.[3]

History

In 1881, Ralph and Albert Slazenger, Jewish brothers from Manchester, established a shop in London's Cannon Street, selling rubber sporting goods.[1] Slazenger quickly became a leading manufacturer of sporting equipment for golf and tennis.[1] Four years after the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club held its first-ever championships in 1877, Slazenger produced 'The New Game of Lawn Tennis' (tennis rackets and balls) complete in a box.[5] In 1883, Slazenger filed a patent for a net for table tennis.[6]

Their plant in Barnsley, South Yorkshire manufactured tennis balls and exported them round the world.[7] The plant closed in 2002, and production is now based in the Philippines.[7]

In 1902, Slazenger was appointed as the official tennis ball supplier to The Championships at Wimbledon, and it remains the longest unbroken sporting sponsorship in history.[3][7][8]

In 1910, a public company was incorporated to acquire Slazenger and Sons, "manufacturers of sports equipment, india rubber, gutta percha and waterproof goods, leather merchants and dealers",[9] which floated on the stock market.[1] In 1931, Slazenger acquired H. Gradidge and Sons.[10]

War years (1939–1945)

During the Second World War, Slazenger, like most manufacturers of non-essential items in the UK, redirected its production to manufacture a wide variety of components for military purposes, utilising their expertise in wood and rubber manufacturing.[11]

On 15 September 1940, during the Blitz on London, incendiary bombs fell on the Slazenger factory and on the Gradidge factory in Woolwich.[12] The competing William Sykes Ltd factory at Horbury was undamaged by the bombings.[11] Slazenger and Gradidge were able to continue production at other facilities but began a series of mergers with competing companies. In 1942, it acquired William Sykes Ltd to broaden its wartime production facilities.[13] Around 1940, Slazenger acquired F. H. Ayres. Founded in 1810 by Edward Ayres, the firm manufactured a range of sporting equipment but was best known as a high-quality manufacturer of archery equipment and in particular the bow (or

type	Subsidiary
founder	Ralph and Albert Slazenger
location city	Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England
location country	United Kingdom
area served	Worldwide
industry	Sports equipment, textile, footwear
products	Racquets · Tennis equipment · Cricket equipment · Golf equipment · Apparel · Accessories
parent	Dunlop Rubber (1959–85) BTR plc (1985–99) Frasers Group (2004–present)
homepage	slazenger.com

History

War years (1939–1945)

Products

Sponsorships

External links

References

At its peak

Selling a brand

Global rights and licensing