EA threatens, not in so many words, Tiger Woods
Back earlier this year, when sponsors were running from Tiger Woods as if his three-wood was dipped in uranium, a few companies stood by their man, for better or worse.
Most famously, Nike and Electronic Arts, the maker of the mega-popular Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise, threw caution to the wind and kept the golfer as their pitchman, in spite of Gatorade, AT&T and Accenture seemingly fleeing the Tiger scene.
Yet you just got the feeling, all the while, that these guys wanted to appear loyal just for PR’s sake. It’d be bad to dump the world’s best golfer in bad times, because in good times he’s gonna more than recoup your losses.
Well, these are still not good times for Woods. He took months off golf for personal reasons following his late-2009 car crash and subsequent martial problems, and – since his return – he hasn’t won a tournament and has lost the no. 1 world ranking.
EA, for one, appears to be getting spooked.
Telling the world more than perhaps he intended, EA Chief Executive John Riccitiello, who pays Woods a reported $8 million per year, suggested this week that Tiger needs to start winning again “for (this) partnership to make sense.”
“This is no threat against Tiger,” he told Reuters, obviously threatening Tiger. “We have no plans to move away from him, but it’s a business relationship on the basis of we make the best golf game and he’s the best golfer. Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense.
“We’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a period of time,” Riccitiello added.
Of course, you can call this exactly what EA likely would – an innocuous comment by the head of its division concerning one of his most popular games.
Yet, come on. No one calls out LeBron James or Peyton Manning – two of sports other marketing forces – for not winning a title recently (they have one championship between them: Peyton’s Super Bowl ring, from the 2006 season).
Even the most staunch Tiger supporter, then, will call this exactly what the rest of the world would – a major corporation starting to get queasy because its most prolific spokesperson is an admitted adulterer, someone the general public loathes and, most directly, an average golfer at this point.
Tough to blame EA, sure. But perhaps this is a message directly to Tiger himself: win soon or bid adieu to another sponsor.
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Derek | Dec 3, 2021 12:21:16 PM
Perhaps EA should have made Tiger Woods 11 just as South Park had envisioned it.
Posted by: Ted C | Dec 3, 2021 2:15:33 PM
PLEASE - what "ordinary" golfer gets paid 8 mill/yr for a sponsorship? Of course he has to start winning - those arent monopoly dollars being thrown around there. And loathe is a pretty strong word. He has to get his game AND at least some of the public back to expect even half of that sum in future contracts with EA. Its business after all isnt it?
Posted by: Sven D | Dec 3, 2021 2:24:52 PM
Do you really expect loyalty from a company like EA? All they want is your money. They may be paying Tiger 8 million but they were probably making 100 million in sales. Personally, a cheap shot from Mr. EA!
Posted by: Ian | Dec 3, 2021 2:34:01 PM
The comparisons made are a joke !!!!!!!! Its not Manning Football 11
or James Basketball 11 you idiot. But it is Woods 11. His name is the franchise and if he isnt winning the franchise loses too. Who wants the number two or three or four golfer in the world as the franchise name !!!
Posted by: Suddenflame | Dec 3, 2021 3:05:52 PM
I agree with Ian here for they are paying him a large sum of money to keep the franchise going and he isnt winning therefor it isnt the best game. In the end if they really have to they would get rid of Tiger Woods and attempt to higher on the best golfer that hasnt destroyed himself and maybe place Tiger woods into the game with terrible skill attributes or something.
Posted by: heatseeker | Dec 3, 2021 3:41:28 PM
money over morals,what a disgracefull bunch of selfish human beings
Posted by: TigerFan | Dec 3, 2021 9:59:10 PM
If the game gets crappy does Tiger pull his name?
No, he won't have to, because sales will dictate the outcome, just as it will whether Tiger wins again or not. They had a good run of it, and 8M is peanuts to both Tiger and EA. Neither will cry is this partnership ends.
At least Tiger was man enough to admit his mistakes, not like some people. You go Tiger, I'm still in your corner!
Posted by: Bersabitch | Dec 5, 2021 1:37:57 AM
EA is a ridiculous clown house full of arse kissers who know little else in life.
Posted by: Kozak | Dec 5, 2021 7:45:17 AM
HA!! HA!! HA!!! ROTFL!!!! "...most directly, an average golfer at this point" Do you have any concept of what a good golfer is or can do? If there are close to 100 million golfers, there are 50 million golfers between Tigerand "average." Tiger has pr problems still to be sure but, as one of the best golfers currently on this planet, the ONLY thing he really hasn't done since his fall from grace is win. And that while competing aganst people who can actually golf, not with a bunch of holier-than-thou thumb-twiddling couch-potato computer-game players. LOL
Posted by: raymeus | Dec 5, 2021 10:52:16 AM
Its all about image . Those big corps bought his image and when that was tarnished they bailed or people whisper and give him dirty looks . Then at night when his demons come out i bet he has a hard time sleeping , thinking about how he destroyed his reputation and his family . I dont think he knows how to deal with all that without whipping himself to death . Then he trys to go out and golf , and realizes his game has tanked and he keeps losing . How does he deal with that failure ? Maybe if his Dad was still alive he would recover , quicker , stronger . I think he should open a Nightclub and have a shooting range out back , have some fun , give some lessons , invite Jesse James , sit hung on hopefully for a miracle. Its over for Tiger , i dont think he ever knew failure or shame before his marathon sexual rodeo . Now he has to look at his ex when he picks up the kids and he sees her looks of comtempt and probably hears her dripping sarcasm . When he golfs iam sure around and compare conquests.
Posted by: Ron G | Dec 5, 2021 12:30:09 PM
Unfortunate comment by EA just as I see Tiger leading the Chevron Tournament. He hasn't won it yet but I noticed the crowds are cheering just as loud as ever on his every shot. And even if he doesn't win another event does anybody not know the Tiger name.
I play his PC 2008 version most weeks and was disappointed to see there isn't a 2010 PC version. After all nothing spices up a name after some notoriety. Anyway the people who disown Tiger are not the ones who play his computer games.
Forgive and lets move on...I'll be watching the final today becuase I want to see him win. Negative thoughts only generate more negatively...life is too short EA