If Tiger started his own equipment brand

[GoGoErky]

Nike had 3 of the biggest names in golf with him, wie and Rors. They couldn’t increase market share with them. While tiger might have given them a boost they weren’t able to get over the hump

[Vintage1976]

I had almost forgotten about Rory moving from Titleist to Nike. Still seems odd how that division couldn't last, unless it was purely financial as in club division just couldn't make as much money (edit- profit) as clothes. I guess I never looked that deeply into what the word on the street was.

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

But, how did Jordan become that lifestyle brand?

[cgasucks]

When people still wear his stuff bearing his logo years after his retirement.

[RogerinNewZealand]

So a TW retro mizuno

Thats where it started

 

[GeorgeHWB]

Massive difference between Michael Jordan soft goods (huge profit margin) and golf hard goods (vey little profit margin). There's a reason Nike got out of the golf hard goods business and that's exactly why Tiger will never start his own golf equipment company.

[aenemated]

By becoming a staple of urban fashion 30-some years ago. I can't think of ANY fashion brands beyond ultra-luxury with that kind of staying power - it's truly remarkable. Like, I've literally never played basketball beyond playing HORSE with my brother in our driveway when I was a kid yet I've got a couple pairs of Jordans in my closet right now.

Not remotely the same thing as a manufacturer of hard goods that only a miniscule percentage of the population would be interested in.

[6x6]

Most popular athlete ever? you’re either very young or don’t follow sports other than golf. Ever heard of Jim Thorpe, Jesse Owens, Pelé, Jim Brown, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, etc. Hell, he isn’t even the most popular golfer ever, that belongs to Arnold Palmer. Certainly he gets more exposure than the former ever did due to the times.

I’ll admit I don’t follow him as you do, what classy equipment has he designed? While on the subject, what are “classy clubs for real players.” What is a real player? Are you basing that on their GHIN? So somebody playing one of the current mass producing manufacturers isn’t a real player? Sounds like you’re describing his future operation as another PXG, a player with deep pockets is a real player. Anyway, what’s wrong with Dick’s? As he’s the most popular athlete ever, surely his stuff would fly off the shelves.

[DangerousDan]

Tiger is absolutely the most popular golfer ever. Palmer is one of my favorite golfers but it is just nonsense to say Tiger is anything but the most popular and well known golfer that has ever lived.

 

If you do not like Tiger (which is very much how your post reads) that is fine, but it looks like you clearly have an axe to grind.

 

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

Bingo! To make that sort of impact, a brand needs lots of crossover appeal. Tiger's not going to have Drake or Cardi B name-drop his brand of golf polos or sensible shorts in one of their songs.

[MattM97]

Woods probably not I think it would be smarter for a wedge grind, how many guys would be buying Tiger's wedge grind? They'd probably pull in cash hand over fist because everyone would want Tiger's wedge grind and it's probably more playable than his wood configuration.

 

[Myherobobhope]

he could get pxg dollars on custom forged tw wedges... it wouldn’t even be fair.

[Anser]

He couldn't sell clubs with a swoosh on em and his own line would do even worse

[Myherobobhope]

I don’t remember much about the Nike campaigns for tiger, other than his driver head cover talking shit to duval... but I feel like they sold the wrong story with his Nike gear.

i think Bridgestone has taken an interesting approach as more people know how exacting tiger is and they’ve basically said we made sure our stuff met his requirements.

I don’t think he should start an equipment company, but tiger custom gear would easily compete at the ultra premium level.

[sailfishchris]

If he could hold a seance with Ben Hogan....... Who are other players who've (I say this delicately ) had a successful club brand ? Armour? Hogan?

[shoot4par]

No profit margin like J's. Basketball & Lifestyle apparel isn't golf. He already has his own niche in TM (P7TWs). It's an extremely low risk endeavor v. a high risk one.

[mantan]

 

Nail on the head. Could he do it as a spin off? Sure. Would it make any money? The chances are miniscule. Tiger's equipment isn't playable by the overwhelming majority of golfers. So either it is a very niche brand or it gets bastardized into a line of general SGI, and GI clubs. Odds are they won't be significantly better than the great equipment that's out there. And the people who are 'Tiger' fans, likely wouldn't pay a premium for equipment if it wasn't clearly better. It just seems like a money losing option.

I wonder how well Tiger Woods 'soft goods' apparel goes. Nike charges a premium for TW apparel and shoes. I see a few TW shoes, but I see very few TW shirts in comparison to the large number of regular Nike shirts.

[butterysnaphook]

That might be the dumbest comment I’ve ever read on this site. Go do a poll all over the world and ask people if they know who Jim Thorpe is and then ask them if they know who Tiger Woods is and let me know the obvious results to that one. Then go ask people to name a golfer off the top of their head and 90% of people would say “Tiger Woods”.

[Steele47]

 

I remember catching this one night some years back. Must have been part of a last ditch effort to drum up Nike enthusiasm.

[GoGoErky]

Shoes have been hit or miss. There’s a few pairs that people love and look for. TW13 and 17 irc were hot one.

Apparel doesn’t sell out unless its something from a major or is retro. The mock turtlenecks he wore at Augusta last year flew off the shelves/online. The frank polo did as well.

[monkeyboy]

I have thought for awhile that Tiger could have cleaned up if he started an "Evil Tiger" lineup of clothing, etc during his 'dark years'. More edgy, dark, dank feel to logos, etc

Then switch to "Good Tiger" when he cleaned up his act.

 

same concept is applicable to Patrick Reed now.

[Ger21]

>>>>>I wonder how well Tiger Woods 'soft goods' apparel goes. Nike charges a premium for TW apparel and shoes. I see a few TW shoes, but I see very few TW shirts in comparison to the large number of regular Nike shirts.

 

I wear all Nike stuff, but don't like the TW logo, so I don't buy TW clothing. And don't want to pay the 30% upcharge.

[Mych]

I'd like to see him do a custom line of putters at some point. Partner with an up & coming boutique designer and do a collaboration including a clone of his famous Scotty.

Anything else club-related is a losing proposition. He'd be better off jumping into business with some golfertainment concept like TopGolf and putting a familiar face on a new way to grab the fans that rarely see the actual course.

I could also see him executive producing or hosting some type of network competition series... something similar to "The Match", or even something like a reboot of Big Break.

[hurley999s]

Agreed - take the WWE angle with heel and face turns. I thought of that too - Tiger with the goatee, glasses, backwards hat, wearing black. Then hit the market/audience with a face turn back to a baby face.

[dubbelbogey]

I think any sort of retail branded product is a poor bet. Player endorsed clubs from Nicklaus, Palmer, etc... have not have endured, and frankly, devolved into having the perception of low quality at the end of their runs.

The Jordan/Jumpman brand is the clear outlier and is not likely to be duplicated by anybody else - they sell in the multi-billions per year on just the Jordan brand alone. I would venture the Jordan brand revenue is on par or exceeds that of the entire golf equipment industry.

 

 

[jmkenn0]

Was thinking the same thing - not a full line, but a boutique like Scotty or Volkey.

[lakecowboy]

I think his only chance at success would be an irons and wedges only company. He'd need to also include cavity backs and hollow body irons that were similar to his MBs.

[DFS PFD]

Vokey Boutique?

[The Mad Bomber]

I believe he'd be well advised to stay away from equipment. Some of the best arguments above are along the lines of Nicklaus and Palmer not being able to make a go of it, Nike getting out despite an incredible stable of players that included TW and the fact that he has his own clubs on the market through TaylorMade right now and they're playable by about .01% of the golfing population.

 

I don't really understand the comparisons to Jordan? I mean, everybody needs shoes and clothes, only golfers need clubs. Comparing TW golf equipment vs. Jordan shoes/apparel is like comparing apples to dining room furniture. If Jordan had a successful line of basketballs, now we're talking! Tongue-in-cheek obviously, but the point remains that the golf equipment industry stands alone on top of the sports world as to how varied it is among players and despite that, there isn't much room in the game for newcomers..

[CasualLie]

 

Chris Rock doesn't count???