It just wasn’t in the stars: Tiger Woods-Nike split was a long time coming

Nike can’t be blamed because they stayed with Woods through the worst time of his career. In 2009, in the wake of the revelation of Woods’ extramarital affairs that eventually ended in his divorce, when big sponsors like Gillette, Accenture, and AT&T abandoned Woods, Nike stood by him. It was a brave call considering how Woods was vilified in the media at that time.

Woods’ performance also dipped in a big way in the wake of the scandal. At the time, he was just four majors short of Jack Nicklaus, the man with the most numbers of golf majors at 18. The way Woods was playing, with age on his side, it was only a matter of time before he overtook Nicklaus. Woods recovered from the horrific episode but wasn’t the same player once he returned to the course. The next 15 years have yielded just one major for Woods. Nike had had it.

The other reason that may have played a role in the split is the brand’s failure to establish a stronghold in the golf industry. It’s been quite a few years since they stopped making golf equipment. Owing to that, Woods had to switch to other brands. Clearly, they had fewer ways to leverage Woods!

Initially, Nike piggybacked on Woods to become a competitive brand in the golf industry. Make no mistake, they have not been ungrateful. They have acknowledged it all along. But Woods’ 2021 car crash appears to be the last straw that broke the camel’s back. It was a serious injury.

Since the injury, Woods has played just six tournaments on the PGA Tour and only thrice he has managed to complete all four rounds. Nike and Woods had signed a 10-year extension in 2013 and it appears Nike was waiting for the deal to expire post the accident. Woods was definitely kept in the loop, going by the calm nature of the split. It was not some out-of-the-blue thing for the golfer.

In the 2022 Masters, when Woods wore a pair of FootJoy instead of Nike, that was a big giveaway. Woods, who had undergone leg surgery the year before, said that he wore FootJoy because they felt better, and more compatible. It’s safe to assume that in the lead-up to the Augusta event, Nike had communicated to Woods that their partnership had to come to an end. Last year during the Masters in April, when Woods picked up heel injury on Moving Day and made his next appearance at the Hero World Challenge in November-December, whatever little doubts Nike may have had whether or not to continue with Woods, they would not have been there anymore. Upon his return, Woods said going forward he was going to target just one tournament in a month owing to the nature of his injury. There was still a little trace of limp in his walk! Nike had to do it.

So what’s next for Woods? Is he going to come up with his own sportswear line? It can be a good idea. Joining another brand, one of Nike’s competitors, is highly unlikely. Fans are not going to accept Woods endorsing a rival brand. He and Nike have built a legacy which can’t be rivalled. Woods, who recently turned 48, is smart and aware, and won’t risk it.

If not for so many unfortunate incidents, Woods would have got a lifetime contract from Nike like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin Durant. So it just wasn’t in the stars, one can say. But it was enjoyed by both parties while it lasted.

Woods is an astute businessman. Rest assured, he will find a way to cover his losses. Out of his Nike association, he has reportedly made more than $500 million. Nike too leveraged the brand Woods to a tee. Don’t be surprised if he is seen playing in a LIV event. His TGL partner, Rory McIlroy has already softened towards the Saudi league after the merger, so it should not come as a surprise if Woods does the same and eventually ends up being part of the PIF-funded league at some point. In the twilight of his career struck by more injuries, expecting Woods to maintain his old stance would be expecting too much.