Nike’s partnership with Tiger Woods is one of the most iconic deals in sports history, Tiger’s initial contract was worth $40 million over five years — the largest golf endorsement deal at the time — and Nike has paid him over $500 million in total.
Tiger Woods Endorsement Deal History With Nike
1996: 5 years, $40 million
2001: 5 years, $100 million
2006: 8 years, estimated $160 million to $320 million
2013: 10 years, $200 million
Nike also opened the Tiger Woods Conference Center on its Beaverton, Oregon campus in 2001, and the world’s largest sportswear company stuck by Woods through everything — extramarital affairs in 2009, a DUI in 2017, and injuries from 2014-2022.
The reason for this is simple: Tiger Woods is still the world’s most famous golfer — by a mile — and he helped make Nike Golf a ton of money over the last 27 years.
For example, Nike Golf was doing $30 million in annual revenue before signing Tiger Woods. But just two years after signing Woods, that number increased to $300 million.
Nike Golf Revenue Pre- And Post-Tiger (1995-1998)
1995: $30 million (Tiger was with Ping and Reebok)
1998: $300 million (Just two years after Nike signed Tiger)
It’s also estimated that Tiger’s 2019 Masters final-round victory was worth $22.5 million to Nike in brand exposure alone.
Tiger’s latest deal with Nike expires at the end of this year, and many people are speculating that the two parties will eventually part ways without a new deal. Nike no longer makes golf equipment, fellow sponsees (including Rory McIlroy) have equipment deals with TaylorMade, who are going to increase their apparel offering in ’24 or, perhaps, Tiger will launch his own brand. So, it’s entirely possible that this iconic partnership might finally end after 27 years and $500M+ in payments.
