A lot has happened since EA announced that their Tiger Woods PGA Tour series was going online for the PC. The predominant golfer of the past decade got in an enigmatic late night car wreck over Thanksgiving weekend, leading to intense focus over a reported extramarital affair, which soon spiraled out of control in terms of interest and scope.
Now, Woods' number of Major Championships (14) is equal to alleged mistresses and the golfer has taken “an indefinite break from professional golf” in order to concentrate on “being a better husband, father, and person.” The sullying of what was arguably the most marketable athlete ever has made watchmaker Tag Heuer, management consultancy firm Accenture and telecommunications company AT&T all publicly distance themselves from Woods.
With the bottom depth of Woods' tomcat behavior likely still not reached, now would be the time for EA to back down from its original vote of confidence it gave when the story was still fresh. However, EA Sports president Peter Moore today reinforced the publisher's commitment to the embattled golfer and said that Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online will go to open beta later in January 2009.
“This decision will no doubt create some attention and further speculation about Tiger Woods, and about his relationship with sponsors. With that in mind, I want to shed some light on why EA Sports has decided to continue with Tiger on the masthead of this game,” wrote Moore. “Our relationship with Tiger has always been rooted in golf. We didn’t form a relationship with him so that he could act as an arm’s length endorser. Far from it. We chose to partner with Tiger in 1997 because we saw him as the world’s best, most talented and exciting golfer. We struck that partnership with the assumption that he would remain near or at the top of his sport for years to come.”
“By his own admission, he’s made some mistakes off the course,” he continued. “But regardless of what’s happening in his personal life, and regardless of his decision to take a personal leave from the sport, Tiger Woods is still one of the greatest athletes in history. At EA Sports, we make authentic sports simulations. When we say 'It’s in the Game,' it is not just a tag line but a statement about the quality and authenticity of the game experience. Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online is truly representative of that rallying cry, and a game that all of us at EA Sports are proud to be delivering this month to sports fans around the globe.”
2 Comments
January 5, 2010
Well I suppose "somebody" needed to still support him.
January 5, 2010
What it comes down to is that the companies invested in Tiger Woods: The Golfer will stand by him because what he's done hasn't detracted from that too much - the companies that have left him are more keep on Tiger Woods: The Man/Brand which has taken a huge hit. He'll probably still be the richest athlete in the world when its all said and done, but the margin will be much slimmer.