The Bizarre Aftermarket Around Roger Federer's "RF" Hats

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By RC Staff

01 May 2023

Roger Federer has confirmed the Laver Cup is his last career game. After sitting out much of 2021, he reentered the game late in 2022 to play in the Cup. During his two-decade career, Federer became a dominant player and won over millions of fans. They sold limited edition hats at high-profile events he played in. These hats differed in design between tournaments, but they all feature a distinct “RF” badge on the front. Over time, certain RF hats have become collectibles and extremely valuable. The 2022 Laver Cup RF hat is the latest and last of these hats and is now reselling.

What is the 2022 Laver Cup RF hat?

The 2022 Laver Cup RF Hat is likely the last special-edition RF hat to be released. It is a straightforward design: black with gold accents. It features the usual prominent RF badge on the front, with “Laver Cup” stitched on the left side. The inside includes a tag confirming that it is official merchandise from the 2022 Laver Cup.

There are a wide variety of RF hats that they have released. They first became common sites at tournaments in the mid-2000s, where Federer fans wore them as a sign of support. Various producers have manufactured the hats over the years and owning a tournament hat has been seen as a fan club.

While the special tournament hats are the focus of this article, other versions of the RF hats are mass-produced. Uniqlo and Federer signed a deal in 2020 to produce a wider release of hats in several colorways, which increased their popularity.

The 2022 Laver Cup RF Hat is especially relevant because it is likely the last tournament-edition RF hat. Roger Federer did not play much in 2021 or 2022, and his return to the game for 2022’s Laver Cup was a bit of a surprise. He has since confirmed that the Laver Cup was his last game as a professional tennis player.

Why is the 2022 Laver Cup RF hat reselling?

There are two reasons behind the 2022 Laver Cup RF Hat reselling. First, there’s the simple fact that it’s a special edition tournament hat.

The iconic RF Hat was first put up for sale in 2010, at the year’s Wimbledon Cup. Federer had been seen wearing the design before, but this was the first time he had made the hats available to the public. Fans were quick to buy up as many hats as they could.

Following the success at Wimbledon, RF Hats would become a regular sight at tournaments Federer played in, with some featuring unique designs. Collecting RF Hats would become popular among dedicated fans.

The most popular (and expensive) hats are from the earliest tournaments and ones that featured special designs. 2010’s Wimbledon RF Hats are valuable, for example.

Additionally, the 2022 Laver Cup RF Hat is popular because it is almost assuredly the last RF Hat you can buy at a tournament. Roger Federer has made it clear that he has retired from professional tennis and that the 2022 Laver Cup will be his last appearance.

This means the hats released at this tournament have a special significance to fans and collectors. Not only is it their literal last chance to buy one of these hats, but it also marks the end of Roger Federer’s long career. If a collector is willing to shell out for one of Federer’s first RF Hats, they would likely be willing to pay for his last hat as well.

Currently, the 2022 Laver Cup RF Hat is reselling for around $250. This is similar to what other RF Hats resell for, so the price is not exceptional. However, considering this the last RF Hat, expect to see prices rise.

For more items to resell, check out our other articles. Whether you are getting started reselling or a seasoned reseller looking for the next flip, we have what you are looking for.