Reaction from some of Tiger Woods’ largest endorsement partners is trickling out. After the Jaimee Grubbs voicemail recording of Woods was released by USMagazine.com and Woods’ released a statement on his website, CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell was the first to get reax from Nike and Gatorade.
New Gatorade statement: “Tiger and his family have our support as they work through this private matter. Our partnership continues.”
New Nike statement: “Nike supports Tiger and his family. Our relationship remains unchanged.”
Rovell, who is the world’s top sports business reporter, talked to me on the record about Woods’ endorsement situation in the wake of the past week’s events.
In the case of Nike, Rovell noted the remarkable show of support Woods was getting, observing that when the Kobe Bryant-Colorado situation first hit, “it was all quiet in western Oregon (Nike HQ). … All I know is Nike has issued three statements in support of Tiger and I’ve never seen anything like that.”
One of the reasons for Nike’s support is Woods’ profound impact on Nike golf’s bottom line. With Woods, Nike golf yearly revenue reaches $800M annually. Without Woods, Rovell said Nike sales would likely fall to less than half that.
Gatorade has also put out two statements now in support of Woods, but AT&T has yet to comment. Rovell said of AT&T’s silence: “They’re trying to get their hands on the situation. You can’t read into that they’re not supporting Tiger. It’s early.”
Yes, it is early and perhaps that’s the problem. With outlets like RadarOnline.com reporting that “several women” may come forward about affairs with Woods, with at least one of those individuals also armed with voicemails, you wonder if sponsor support will eventually wane.
Rovell said he didn’t know if Woods or his representatives had made any assurances to his corporate partners about what more, if anything, will surface about his personal life. But Rovell also asked, “at what point does this all become noise?”
From Woods’ personal perspective, it probably already is noise. But if you’re investing millions in an association with Woods that is largely based on image, I’m not so sure that you can take many more tales of his extramarital affairs.
1:25 pm on December 2nd, 2009
Nothing moves product like Tiger
NOTHING
If ATT drops, verizon will pay more to have him..etc
and Tiger and Kobe are different, Kobe was busted for rape..not cheating
1:31 pm on December 2nd, 2009
It will be interesting to see how different sponsors react. Nike has no choice and they are at one end of the spectrum, where the products are completely linked to the athlete. Barring criminal behavior they will always be with him. On the other end you have stuffy corporate companies like ATT and Accenture. The benefits are much less clear for them to stick with him. They won’t sever the relationship but perhaps they will quietly not renew.
I bet Buick is happy. It’s the only good news for GM for years.
1:56 pm on December 2nd, 2009
Money trumps all, so they will keep his advertising services.
Besides, the CEO’s know what it’s like to have affairs…
2:11 pm on December 2nd, 2009
Sponsors know this is fixable, but it all depends on what he does from here on…. Issuing a statement (lame as it was) is step 1 in controlling the hemorraging. Step 2 will be show and tell with Elin and the kids.
3:55 pm on December 2nd, 2009
@ Gerrado
Why would GM be happy, they paid him 100 Mil
and couldnt get anyone under 50 to buy their products
the reason GM stopped endorsing him is because they couldnt pay their own bills.
Lets see, Tiger got 100 Mil and they sold 30 buicks at 29k that was directly related to Tiger promoting them…hmmm
5:35 pm on December 2nd, 2009
I’ll bet thousands of guys like me are remembering their mothers spouting adages like “the bigger they are, the harder they fall.” True that. Roger Clemens, the biggest in baseball, and now the biggest in the rich man’s sport. Wonder if Jack is worried about his 18 majors now.
5:59 pm on December 2nd, 2009
I am going to boycott all companies that do business with this creep.
6:06 pm on December 2nd, 2009
he who is without sin let him cast the first stone
8:51 pm on December 2nd, 2009
How long has this been goin’ on
How long has this been goin’ on
Well, if friends with their fancy persuasion
Don’t admit that it’s part of a scheme
But I can’t help but have my suspicions
‘Cause I ain’t quite as dumb as I seem
And you said you was never intendin’
To break up our singing this way
But there ain’t any use in pretendin’
It could happen to us any day
How long has this been goin’ on
How long has this been goin’ on
[Musical Interlude]
Oh, your friends with their fancy persuasion
Don’t admit that it’s part of a scheme
But I can’t help but have my suspicion
‘Cause I ain’t quite as dumb as I seem
Oh, you said you was never intending
To break up our singing this way
But there ain’t any use in pretendin’
It could happen to us any day
And how long has this been going on
How long has this been going on
How long
How long has this been going on
How long has this been going on
How long has this been going on
How long
How long has this been going on
1:39 am on December 3rd, 2009
He’s nuthin but a lyin, schemin, denyin, connivin lil weasel. He’s so arrogant he leaves a message on that cocktail waitress’ voicemail. And thats after the escalade accident and his wife beatin his dumba$$ with a 3 iron. He’ll let it calm down and go do it again. She, Elin, should dump the bum! Go after his assets and drop the bomb on him. I hope people boycott the products he endorses. What a clown!
1:39 pm on December 13th, 2009
“She, Elin, should dump the bum!”
This is what a woman with a man like Tiger would normally do.
We’ve got really big bucks involved with this deal though so don’t expect to see normal out of her. She has probably been reminded,more than once,that she needs to play along for the sake of Tiger empire and all that it entails.Hell, Elin might be having Tiger stay in that boathouse by himself for all we know.
Wait and see is what the corps are doing. Making any remarks about Woods that appear critical could backfire on them. There is nothing to be gained for them to be calling Woods a sinner,poor role model,etc.