Tiger Settles

[Golf_Beauty]

Woods, Yacht Settle Lawsuit Over Use of Names, Photos

By Associated Press - May 09, 2006

 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Tiger Woods has settled a privacy-rights lawsuit over his yacht, aptly named "Privacy."

 

Venable LLP, the law firm representing Woods, issued a statement Monday saying the golfer had settled for an undisclosed amount with the builder of "Privacy," Vancouver, Wash.-based Christensen Shipyards Ltd.

 

Woods claimed in the lawsuit filed in 2004 that the company had breached its contract by using his name and photos of him and the 155-foot yacht as promotional materials without authorization.

 

"We made a mistake and truly regret the company's conduct," said Christensen president Joe Foggia in a statement released by Woods law firm.

 

Although the settlement amount was officially kept secret, Christensen's insurance company, St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co., said in a related court action that the amount was $1.6 million.

 

In a lawsuit filed last week in Miami federal court, St. Paul asked a judge to order Christensen to pay the entire amount or to limit St. Paul's share to a $1 million cap cited in its policy with the shipbuilder. No hearing has been scheduled in that case.

[DCIGUY]

Just think, $1.6 million, he might be able to fill the fuel tanks once or twice!

[RSchaffer29]

He was just doing this for the principle, to prove a point.

 

I can't imagine 1.6 mil means anything to Tiger, but he did what he had to let them know he was not pleased.

[Golf_Beauty]

My thought...he named the yacht "Privacy". That alone should have told the builders not to make it public. You have to be a special kind of stupid to do it. :) Or greedy.

[Golfdog]

This wasn't about principle. It was about protecting the right of Tiger to endorse products. If you allow your name to be used without permission, then you can end up losing control of your right to endorse products or services. For a guy like Tiger, that could cost him hundreds of millions in the future.

[VTHOKIES]

Actually Tiger had to sew. If he didn't he would/could lose his rights. There is no price for the name Tiger Woods. The company probably received way more than 1.6 million in advertisement from using his name. Good for Tiger. He probably donated the settlement anyways.

[augiep38]

My initial thought was they got cheap advertising. They already had the ads out. Now they get the exposure from the settlement and it only cost 1.6mil