Tiger Woods’s announcement of calling it an end with Nike on January 8, 2024, created havoc. This historical split of one of the longest athlete-brand deals left everyone in a deep state of shock. Even though this was not unexpected, post-announcement, the formerly suspecting fans took on the role of a detective.

Understandably so. As we place all of the pieces of this complicated puzzle together, one thing remains unclear. Why did this relationship even end? Why could they not work it out like they did countless times before? Surely, these are some questions worth asking.

Thankfully for Nike and Woods’s fans, the former brand marketing director at the brand, Jordan Rogers, has revealed his insider’s scoop on the tricky split. According to Rogers, “Something got in [Tiger’s] brain that a Nike shoe was no longer the thing that made his foot feel right.” 

But again, why? Well, things changed for the 15-time major winner after his car crash. The recovering golfer had some needs that Nike couldn’t meet. For him, it just didn’t feel right—an ode common to sports stars like himself. Even though, in Roger’s view, “Nike bent over backwards to try to make this work,” things just did not work out! Woods’s choice to wear FootJoy shoes for the first time in the 2022 Masters was a sacrilege in Nike’s books.

Rogers said, “He found this FootJoy that felt like it was going to help him get back on the course.” As Nike bid Woods a final goodbye, it came with a powerful 7-word message: “It was a hell of a round, Tiger.” And it surely was. But then why could Nike not change the 5x Masters Champ’s mind on this issue?

After all, despite the numerous ups and downs they faced with NBA legend Michael Jordan, they held his hand through thick and thin. So why not for its golf counterpart? What was so different?

Why could Nike not do the MJ magic with Woods?

In the former Nike employee’s concerned opinion, the answer to this has layers. The first difference lies in their personalities. While Woods was “a socially awkward introvert” at this core, Jordan was “an extrovert and extremely charismatic.”

Read More: Top 3 Major Takeaways as Details of Tiger Woods’ Fractured Nike Deal Come to Light

Moreover, the personal life issues that Woods faced costed Nike more in terms of marketing, as they chose to stick to him throughout the year, thanks to his every move going viral in the social media age. Whereas, the controversies that MJ endured were mostly before the onslaught of social media.

Therefore, there were some differences in the cases of these two legends. It was also Woods’s mental shift that added to the misery of their already complicated situation. What do you think about this new angle that has been revealed about the Tiger Woods-Nike deal collapse? Let us know in the comments section below!

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