Tiger Woods, Nike announce end of 27-year partnership

Tiger Woods introduced Monday that his longtime partnership with Nike has ended after 27 years, closing one of the iconic model relationships in skilled sports activities historical past.

From the second Woods turned professional in August 1996, he was decked in Nike swooshes from head to toe. The partnership included 15 main championship victories, 82 PGA Tour wins, and quite a few comebacks from accidents and private setbacks.

Over greater than a quarter-century, Woods’ conventional Sunday apparel of a crimson Nike shirt, black hat and black pants grew to become synonymous with males’s skilled golf.

“Over 27 years in the past, I used to be lucky to begin a partnership with one of the iconic manufacturers on this planet,” Woods said in a statement posted to his X account. “The times since have been crammed with so many superb moments and recollections, if I began naming them, I may go on eternally. Phil Knight’s ardour and imaginative and prescient introduced this Nike and Nike Golf partnership collectively and I wish to personally thank him, together with the Nike workers and unbelievable athletes I’ve had the pleasure of working with alongside the best way.”

Within the assertion, Woods, 48, did not say what attire manufacturers he deliberate to put on in future occasions. He has been sporting FootJoy golf sneakers since returning to competitors from accidents he suffered in a automotive wreck outdoors Los Angeles in February 2021.

Woods appeared to point in his assertion that he deliberate to play within the Genesis at Riviera Nation Membership in Pacific Palisades (a part of Los Angeles) Feb. 15-18, a event he hosts and that advantages his basis.

“Folks will ask if there’s one other chapter,” Woods wrote. “Sure, there will definitely be one other chapter. See you in LA!”

After Woods turned professional following a record-breaking taking part in profession at Stanford, he signed endorsement offers with Nike and Titleist. The multiyear contract with Nike was reportedly value $40 million, which was the richest endorsement deal for an expert athlete in historical past on the time.

When Woods confirmed up on the 1996 Better Milwaukee Open for his first PGA Tour occasion as a professional, he informed reporters, “I assume, whats up world, huh?” Two days later, Nike launched a “Howdy, World” marketing campaign, during which Woods and his father, Earl, appeared in TV commercials. Nike created a line of golf attire and sneakers branded with Woods’ identify and brand.

Woods and Nike renewed their contract thrice throughout his taking part in profession. He signed a 10-year extension with the attire large in 2013, which was value about $200 million, based on The Oregonian. He used Nike golf equipment and golf balls till the Oregon-based firm closed its golf line in 2016. He has been utilizing TaylorMade golf equipment and Bridgestone balls since then.

“Tiger, you challenged your competitors, stereotypes, conventions, the old-fashioned mind-set,” Nike mentioned in an announcement on Instagram. “You challenged the complete establishment of golf. You challenged us. And most of all, your self. And for that problem we’re grateful.”

In December, Nike introduced it deliberate to chop $2 billion in prices over the following three years, which would come with layoffs of a whole bunch of workers.