Tiger Woods and Nike part ways

In the sport of golf, no player has shaped the way in which the game has grown over the past three decades more than Tiger Woods. 

Whilst his on-course achievements remain relatively unrivalled, it was the trail he blazed in terms of sponsorship and prize money that saw him become a global icon. 

However, after 27 years, Nike and Tiger Woods are parting ways, with fans and international betting sites now wondering what the future holds for Tiger Woods.  

Despite now being 48 years old, and having not won a major title for almost 5 years, Tiger Woods arguably remains the biggest draw in world golf. 
 
A flurry of off-course incidents have really tarnished his reputation in recent years but there is no doubting that on the golf course, he remains a phenomenon. 
 
Father time does look to have caught up with Woods in many ways, as he is no longer considered a front runner for the biggest events in world golf with many punters and betting apps, however, speculation continually murmurs as to whether he can get back to his best. 
 
A look synonymous with Woods is to be fully adorned in Nike branded kit however, his partnership with the brand behemoth has come to an end, adding fuel to the fire as to what the future holds for Tiger Woods. 
 
First of its kind 

In the modern age, an athlete being sponsored by a specific clothing brand is the absolute norm, but it is easy to forget that back in the late 1990’s it was a relatively untapped industry. 
 
Tiger Woods was a golfing phenomenon like no other in America and when he struck his first multi-million-dollar deal with Nike back in 1997, he moved the goalposts for sports stars around the world. 
 
Attributing his name to a range of clubs, hats and clothes, the sight of a Tiger Woods branded piece of apparel became the must have on any golf course worldwide and enabled his brand to grow, alongside that of Nike’s. 
 
Can Tiger rule once more? 

The decision made by Nike and Tiger Woods to end their partnership is representative of how little golf Woods has been able to play over the past few seasons. 
 
After his well-documented troubles off the course at the end of the 2000’s, very few expected Tiger Woods to come back and compete at the sharp end of world golf every again. 
 
However, his remarkable Masters triumph back in 2019 was a timely reminder to all in the world of golf that if Woods is at his best, he can beat anybody and there is a real school of thought that he still could produce the goods in major tournament golf in the future. 
 
Can the body cope? 

Any athlete moving towards their 50’s will of course need to battle their aging body and despite being a figure of fitness, Tiger Woods is no different. 
 
The termination of this partnership with Nike perhaps suggests that brand aren’t backing Woods to return to his best anytime soon but Woods himself has declared his intention to play in the Genesis Invitational at the start of 2024. 
 
Injuries to his back and leg have hampered Woods in recent years, particularly in major tournament golf but his presence in any field always piques the interest of punters and online betting sites.

Few sports sponsorship deals in history have been as seismic of that of Tiger Woods’s collaboration with Nike, but it is to come to an end in 2024, following 27 successful years. 
With Nike seemingly gambling on Tiger Woods not returning to the sharp end of world golf, it remains to be seen if the 15-time Grand Slam winner has one more ace up his sleeve in 2024 and beyond.