As Tiger Woods’ Sponsors Flee, Nike Stand By Their Man
December 15th, 2009
Several of Tiger Woods’ sponsors have dropped the billion-dollar athlete as his squeaky clean image continues to take a beating – but key sponsor Nike has stood by their man, saying these “indiscretions” will be viewed as a “minor blip” in years to come.
Phil Knight, the chairman of Nike, told Sports Business Journal that he believed the media circus surrounding his personal affairs would blow over.
“I think he has been really great,” Knight said.
“When his career is over, you’ll look back on these indiscretions as a minor blip, but the media is making a big deal out of it right now.”
Knight referred to Woods’ infidelity as “part of the game”, and admitted that there is “always a risk” when sponsoring an athlete.
“One of the things we always try to do when we have a big endorsement is check out the character and the pattern of the individual, but you’re not going to get it right all the time, and if you’re going to be in the business you have to recognise that,” he said.
“Obviously, he was one we checked out and he came out clean.”
Nike has sponsored Woods since his 1996 professional debut.
The golfer has transformed his prowess on the green into hundreds of millions of dollars worth of lucrative endorsements, but they’re beginning to dry up as up to 13 different women claim to have had an affair with the married father-of-two.
Gillette said on Saturday (December 12) that it would phase Woods out of advertisements during his break from golf, calling it a supportive move.
The following day Accenture, a Dublin-based technology and management company, announced it was ending its six years partnership with Woods as he was “no longer the right representative for its advertising”.
AT&T, which backs Woods’s own US PGA event, said they were “presently evaluating our ongoing relationship with him.”
December 15th, 2009 at 12:05 am
I for one will NEVER buy Nike again if you continue to suppot Tiger Woods
December 15th, 2009 at 12:24 am
My junior golfer wants to trade in his Nike clubs for equipment made by another company. How do you tell a 10 year old that this squeaky clean, role model image was a sham? Tiger has lost the kids vote and Nike will lose the future consumers. Too bad their equipment was starting to get to be pretty good.
December 15th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Well, you are the parent….no one is perfect!! Tell him to keep his golf clubs because in a few years, just like everything else, it will blow over and Tiger will be back stronger and more powerful. He is human and he is paying for his mistakes. You live and learn. He should had never married and remained single. However
December 15th, 2009 at 1:04 am
it always take two to tangle. If you are not taking care of your man at home. He will find it somewhere else………. sad but true…..
December 15th, 2009 at 2:50 am
I am a woman of 60+ years, and I have been watching golf and I have been a fan of Tiger Woods for many years. He is the reason that Nike is the company it is today. I will continue to watch him when he returns because he is the greatest golfer in the history of the game, in my opinion. I hope that you will never make decisions based on a few people who want to take a person down for $$$. I don't condone or support what he did in his personal life, but it is his personal life and I just never cared about him personally. If Nike drops him, I hope Under Armour picks him up.