Tiger Woods launches apparel partnership with Taylormade after 27-year Nike partnership ends
By Samantha Delouya, CNN
Los Angeles (CNN) — Tiger Woods has found a new look after splitting up with Nike, his longtime partner, last month.
On Monday, Woods announced that he would be partnering with Taylormade to launch a new apparel brand — Sun Day Red.
The announcement was made at a press conference in the Los Angeles suburb of Pacific Palisades.
A landing page on the Sun Day Red website teases that the line is “Coming May 01.” A news release on its website said that the brand plans to expand “to include women’s and children’s styles as well as footwear.”
The golf legend’s new brand partnership comes one month after Woods and Nike announced the end of their 27-year partnership.
Nike bid farewell to Woods in a January post on Instagram, saying “it was a hell of a round, Tiger.”
“Tiger, you challenged your competition, stereotypes, conventions, the old school way of thinking. You challenged the entire institution of golf. You challenged us. And most of all, yourself. And for that challenge we’re grateful,” the company added.
Nike did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment about Woods’ new partnership with Taylormade.
In the golf world, the Nike brand had been synonymous with Woods for decades, with Woods sporting a red Nike shirt, his lucky color, to nearly all his PGA Tour events and major championship wins.
In 1996, Nike launched its iconic “Hello World” commercial, based on Woods’ professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open. In 2000, Woods signed a five-year endorsement contract with the brand for an estimated $85 million, making it the highest-paid endorsement contract in sports at the time.
Even as a sex scandal nearly 15 years ago drove sponsors like Gatorade and AT&T away from Woods, Nike stood by Woods’ side.
But over the years, Nike has pulled back its investment in golf. In 2016, Nike announced its exit from the golf equipment business, discontinuing sales of clubs, balls and golf bags.
At one point, Woods’ Nike deal was reported to be worth as much as $20 million per year, CNN previously reported. Woods signed multiple deals with the company over a span of nearly three decades, including a 10-year deal signed in 2013 that’s worth about $200 million.
However, by 2019, Wood’s deal was worth about half that annually, Bob Dorfman, an endorsement expert at executive creative director at Baker Street Advertising, said at the time.
“It’s the right time in my life,” Woods said at the launch event. “I’m no longer a kid anymore. Life changes.”
– CNN’s Parija Kavilanz and Ramishah Maruf contributed to reporting
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