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Tiger Woods and Nike: The End of the Road?

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Ross Baran | Last updated Dec 6, 2023 10:37 PM ET

Since 1996, golf fans have been able to say "Sunday Red." And since then, we've seen nothing but the iconic Nike "swoosh" on Tiger Woods' chest. But it now appears a change may be in the cards.

There's a lot of speculation on what Woods' future holds, but it's clear that he's a "new" version of the player this generation grew up watching. Woods appears to be much more down to Earth and focused on defining the second act of his career. With that change in his goals, another big shift could be coming as Tiger starts the back nine of his career.

Woods was seen wearing FootJoy apparel at the Hero World Challenge, which is interesting considering he has an entire Nike-based brand, including shoes, centered on his image and likeness. Recent speculation has indicated the upcoming PNC Championship, in which Tiger and Charlie Woods will compete, could be his last tournament in Nike apparel.

As the new Tiger makes his return to the tour, is he implementing a complete rebrand? He wouldn't be the first superstar athlete to pull such a move. But it does come as a surprise considering much of Tiger's legacy has been associated with the "swoosh." The commercials and marketing deals with Nike made him one of the most iconic and richest athletes to date.

The question now becomes, what happens next?

Is a Tiger Woods Brand on the Way?

It wouldn't surprise me to see Tiger go a different route and establish his own brand at this point in his storied career. After all, Arnold Palmer has a brand, Jack Nicklaus has a brand, and Seve Ballesteros has a brand. Why not Tiger?

Woods' mere presence at events draws fans to the course and attracts TV viewers. While his new schedule may only feature 12 events as he works his way back into competitive golf, it's a start on the comeback trail. Instead of pushing himself, he'll dictate when it's right to play, and golf fans will watch just because Eldrick "Tiger" Woods is on the tee box.

With that in mind, if Tiger designs his own line of apparel, people are going to buy it. No one drives the game like Tiger, and no one may ever bolster the game like he has an ambassador.

If a change is on the horizon, it'll take some getting used to Tiger not being an ambassador for Nike. And that's okay. We'll still see "Sunday Red," but it might be a bit of a different look than we're used to.

When the PNC Championship passes, we'll likely find out what the next step is for Tiger Woods' brand.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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