Tiger Woods dropped the biggest bombshell this week by announcing his separation from his long-time partner. After 27 years of a close-knit alliance, the champion golfer has decided to sever all ties with Nike. In a mutual correspondence on social media expressing gratitude, the brand and the athlete protracted the greatest PR move of the century. But underneath the surface, there is more to the story.

Aside from Woods, Nike’s athlete roster has dwindled further from the loss of Maria Sharapova. The brand decided to sever all ties with her after she tested positive for a banned substance named meldonium. Surprisingly, other women athletes have eschewed multi-million-dollar contracts from Nike for its socially and ethically controversial stance.

Athletes’ exodus from Nike signals behooving brand choices

Landing a Nike deal was a dream come true moment for any athlete. However, tennis star Sloane Stephens recently declined to renew her Nike contract and chose FP Movement instead. This decision is offset only by Allyson Felix’s allegations against the company from 2019. The American track and field legend did not mince her words and outright accused Nike of gender discrimination. She had to undergo a C-section to deliver her baby, but Nike pressured her to get back to her prime form as early as possible. The brand also reduced her endorsement value to 30% of what it was. In an exclusive with Surface, Felix said, “I asked Nike to contractually guarantee that I wouldn’t be punished if I didn’t perform at my best in the months surrounding childbirth”. However, Nike was not ready to commit and declined her request.

Allyson Felix publicly addressed her challenges, and amid widespread outcry, Athleta emerged as her saving grace. Simone Biles was also the victim of Nike’s insincere support. After the gymnastics icon dropped her 2021 Olympic campaign due to the Twisties, Nike sent her a strong ultimatum. Soon after, Biles received an offer from Athleta, who chose her for her athletic skills and “what I stood for”. Olympic steeplechaser Colleen Quigley also moved away from Nike and hitched her wagon to Lululemon in 2021. While Nike’s problematic policies are blamed for these exits, there is a more complicated reason underlying this shift.

The complex shift

Nikki Neuburger, the chief brand officer of Lululemon, had the best analysis of the shift in marketing strategies in recent days. In her New York Times interview, she said, “What’s changed over time is in and of itself, that’s not what’s inspiring people—they want to know the highs and lows of the journey to get there, they want to know what you’re doing outside of the track and not just on race day”.

Read More: Tiger Woods’s Rumored Nike Abandonment May Have to Do More With Money Than Legacy

Leveraging on their understanding of this shift, niche brands like Athleta and Lululemon have become major players in the athleisure market. Although Nike has the biggest market share, it is now playing second fiddle when it comes to forging new deals.

Watch this story: Deadly, Dangerous and Banned Side of Gymnastics From Decades Ago Makes an Appearance Yet Again