Kicks Inc.: Confidential Information for Luis Martinez (Father)

Abstract

Kicks Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of athletic apparel and shoes, had plans to launch a new tennis shoe line within the year and was seeking an up-and-coming young athlete to be its spokesperson. Sebastian Martinez had emerged as an ideal candidate, and contract discussions were underway. Six issues need to be resolved to the satisfaction of the six parties involved—the athlete, the athlete's mother, the athlete's father, the athlete's agent, the Kicks brand manager, and an International Tennis Federation representative. This case provides specific role information for the athlete's father. The case needs to be accompanied by the background information case, UVA-QA-0739. Excerpt UVA-QA-0744 Rev. Dec. 2, 2010 Confidential Information for Luis Martinez (Father) Luis Martinez grew up in Buenos Aires watching Guillermo Vilas, the great Argentine clay-court specialist and International Tennis Hall of Famer. Vilas's success during the 1970s and '80s—with four Grand Slam titles—boosted the popularity of tennis in Argentina and inspired young players, including Luis. Luis came from a modest background and never had the luxury of playing tennis because he had to work to help support his family. He had always thought that if he had a son, he would want him to play tennis, allowing his son the opportunity he himself never had. Luis had worked his way up from a low-level employee to a plant manager at a local steel manufacturer. He had met Adriana while he was in his twenties and fell in love with her. She was an American, from an upper-middle-class family in Florida. They met in Argentina while she was on an archaeology trip during college and discovered their mutual passion for tennis; although he had never played, at the time, she was competing for her small college. She moved to Argentina after finishing her undergraduate degree and married Luis. When Adriana was pregnant with Sebastian, they both decided he would be a tennis player and hoped their son would love the sport as much as they did. Sebastian first enrolled in tennis lessons when he was five years old. Luis knew he had talent, so he worked long hours to afford the best coaching in Buenos Aires. Luis's work prevented him from being home as much as he wanted, but each Friday he would drive straight from the plant to Sebastian's tournaments. He grew slightly resentful of Adriana, knowing that she was able to spend so much time with Sebastian during the day—whether attending clinic (practice) or going through Sebastian's homeschool lessons. He hoped, however, that these long hours would pay off, and he was proud of Sebastian for learning the foundations of hard work through tennis. With the Argentine Tennis Association's sponsorship of Sebastian's move to Saddlebrook, Luis already could see the investment paying off. He just hoped that Sebastian would continue to remain focused and dedicated to his goals. . . .