The afternoon was approaching over Los Angeles: the sun was sinking into the beaches of Santa Monica and the sky was beginning to turn red. However, in the nearby hills of Pacific Palisades, just off Sunset Boulevard, there was talk of “sunrise” and “sunrise” and a different shade of red. Day of the Red Sun.
Tiger Woods is now 48 years old. Only one of his 15 major victories came in the last 15 years. He hasn’t been able to play more than three PGA Tour events in a season since 2020. His body has refused over and over again over the past three decades.
And yet, on Monday night, Woods took to a small stage in an upstairs room in this opulent neighborhood to celebrate the launch of a new era.
Since the end of his 27-year partnership with Nike in January, Woods had teased another “chapter.” After weeks of gossip and decoded trademark requests, confirmation has finally arrived: Woods is joining forces with TaylorMade.
“This is not an endorsement,” CEO David Abeles insisted. ‘This is a complete and unequivocal association… with arguably one of the greatest athletes to ever play any sport. Period.’ And here, together, they were “birthing” a “premium active lifestyle brand” that will “position itself from the mid-premium segment to the top end of the market… and will live with us for generations to come.”
Tiger Woods launched his new clothing and footwear brand Sun Day Red near Los Angeles
The 15-time Major winner confirmed his new partnership with TaylorMade on Monday night.
Woods, now 48, wore red on Sunday throughout his incredible professional golf career.
For non-corporate speakers, a quick translation: Woods and TaylorMade have created a new clothing brand, both for golf and everyday life, which will be available starting May 1.
The inspiration is simple: on Sundays, Woods wears red. Has it become one of the most recognizable rituals in the sport and among the brand’s new offerings? Polos, shoes, cashmere sweaters, gloves, club head covers and caps. “This is what I wear every day,” Woods insisted.
Starting this week. Woods will make his long-awaited return at the Genesis Invitational at nearby Riviera Country Club. It is Woods’ first official PGA Tour event since last year’s Masters, when ankle problems forced him to withdraw.
She went under the knife once again and the scars from all her surgeries became clear on Monday, when Woods took the stage to model some of her new clothes and then explained why TaylorMade and why Sunday were now two words: something about ruler. of three, apparently.
He was wearing a cashmere sweater and bore the new logo: the silhouette of a tiger, with each of the 15 stripes representing one of his major victories. Woods’ immediate question when he was presented with the design? ‘Well, what are we going to do when we turn 16?’
Each of the 15 stripes of the Sun Day Red logo represents one of Woods’ major victories.
The answer is a quick redesign. That story came toward the end of a dazzling launch event that included a couple of clever promotional videos and no small amount of hyperbole. “We had a dream,” Abeles said.
The TaylorMade boss claimed that this brand “will touch the lives of… hundreds of millions.” Attendees were told they would look back on this night for decades to come and say: I was there.
But maybe we can forgive the emotion. After all, Woods and Nike built one of the most powerful brands in sports. In the end, the golfer was said to have earned around $500 million.
It had begun with a five-year deal worth $40 million after Woods turned professional in 1996. The roots of this deal date back to a ‘cold donut and a cold cup of coffee’ near St Andrews, when Abeles heard that Woods might be willing to do more than use TaylorMade clubs.
TaylorMade CEO David Abeles (r) says brand power will remain even after Tiger retires
On Monday, however, everyone was keen to make one thing clear: Yes, TaylorMade are Woods’ new partners, but Sun Day Red “stands alone” and will have its own identity. One Tiger will be “intimately” involved in the setup.
What is not so clear: how long this association lasts and how much it is worth. Officially, the agreement is described only as “expanded.” But Woods is 48 years old and the concern is how many more times he will wear red on Sunday. That doesn’t seem to matter to Abeles, who believes this brand will endure long after Woods puts down his club.
“Whether you think about Tiger’s playing legacy, or the influence he’s had in the culture or the world of sport or outside of sport, that transcends time,” Abeles told DailyMail.com. “We hope Tiger can continue to play as well and healthy for a long time. But this brand will stand out to consumers around the world… over the years, whether he plays or not.”
On stage, Abeles referred to Nike only as “another brand” and then declined the opportunity to compare this partnership to Nike’s alliance with Michael Jordan. But the parallels are hard to ignore. If Sun Day Red has even a fraction of the same staying power as Jordan Brand, they will have hit the jackpot.
Michael Jordan’s partnership with Nike has continued to generate billions long after he left the NBA
In 2021, TaylorMade was sold for $1.7 billion, while Tiger’s net worth is estimated at $1.1 billion. MJ’s NBA career ended more than two decades ago, but in 2022, Jordan Brand raised $5.1 billion for Nike, with MJ pocketing around $250 million.
That’s a lot of polos and cashmere sweaters, with Sun Day Red expected to sell for between $125 and $135 and more than $300, respectively.
“Life changes, I have kids now and this is an important part of transitioning into this part of my life: having a product and a brand that I’m proud of,” Woods said. “I’ve learned a lot over the years and have a lifetime of experience adjusting my clothing and footwear to help me play better…I’m ready to share those secrets with the world.”
So will this range help average golfers with their distance? “I wouldn’t say you’ll necessarily go any further,” Woods said with a smile. But you will look better than now.
Caps and club head covers are among the accessories offered in the ‘Sun Day Red’ range
This may be nonsense, of course, but a quick scan of the comments on social media suggests that many disagree. Woods seemed pretty comfortable, at least, and will debut the new equipment on the course this week. His goal is to play once a month during the main season; he’s “excited” about the possibility of convincing other players to wear Sun Day Red.
It was after the 2021 Genesis Invitational at Riviera that Woods was involved in the horrific car accident that raised concerns that he would never play again. Meanwhile, last season’s tournament was his last four-round effort on the PGA Tour before injury struck again.
He grew up not far from here, and Riviera was where, as a 16-year-old amateur in 1992, Woods played in his first PGA Tour event. What better place for another rebirth?
As Tiger spoke on stage Monday, a few feet away was a vintage car, red of course. Only time will tell if Woods’s value – and his new look – will skyrocket even as the model gets increasingly older.