Tiger Woods introduces his new brand: Sun Day Red
Even for those with even a passing interest in golf, one of the sport’s most memorable images is Tiger Woods, wearing a red polo shirt with a white Nike logo and winning yet another major tournament.
However, that image is officially a thing of the past. In JanuaryMr. Woods announced the end of his 27-year deal with Nike, which had earned him hundreds of millions of dollars. The partnership was marked by memorable advertisements and of course the red Nike shirts that Mr. Woods wore during many final rounds on Sunday.
When Mr. Woods announced the end of his partnership with Nike, he said there would “certainly be a new chapter.” On Monday, he and his new brand sponsor, TaylorMade Golf, made it clear that the next chapter would once again include a red polo shirt. It will be stitched with a tiger in the center, the logo for his new brand under TaylorMade: Sun Day Red.
Sun Day Red is being marketed as a “lifestyle brand” for sports fans and non-athletes alike and will include apparel — even cashmere sweaters — and shoes, TaylorMade CEO David Abeles said in an interview. (Mr. Woods switched from Nike to FootJoy shoes after his car accident in 2021.)
How much of a role design will play in the clothes was unclear, but Mr. Abeles said that “the design language of the products is completely different” than the gear Mr. Woods wore in his last sponsorship deal. Early promotional images showed a new logo — a tiger with 15 stripes to mark the number of major championships Mr. Woods has won; a black long-sleeved T-shirt with the brand’s name, Sun Day Red; and a version of the red polo, which sits on the bloody end of the red spectrum and features black buttons, suggesting attention to detail. (To be fair, there’s only so much one can do with a polo.)
Woods’ preference for red comes from his mother, who is from Thailand, where the color has meaning.
“We’ve been working on what he thinks is the red most associated with his color palette,” said Mr. Abeles. “The red color he chose is the most prominent and consistent color with what he thinks is the red that inspired him.”
As for the space between “Sun” and “Day,” Mr. Abeles said the intention was to emphasize the brand as more than a weekly fit.
“Sunday red is the color that made Tiger on Sunday very famous,” he said. But Mr. Woods “plays more than just on Sundays,” Mr. Abeles added.
In terms of ambition, if not design, Sun Day Red reflects a growing trend, one in which athletes see long-term potential in the increasing convergence of fashion and sport into one category known as ‘lifestyle’.
To that end, many are less interested in being a living advertisement for a sponsor than in being actual participants, and are demanding more ownership and control over their own brand. In 2019, Roger Federer became both an investor in and guest designer for Swiss sneaker company On, and in 2022, Tom Brady unveiled Brady, a menswear brand developed in collaboration with Jens Grede, the brains behind Kim Kardashian’s Skims. Serena Williams also has her own clothing line, S by Serena.
Mr Abeles would not confirm whether Mr Woods had shares in the brand.
Sun Day Red will operate as a standalone brand within TaylorMade, with its own headquarters and design team. The company has appointed Brad Blankinship, previously at Quiksilver, to oversee day-to-day operations.
Sun Day Red will offer its products for sale online for the first time on May 1, with the goal of eventually expanding internationally. Polos cost between $115 and $175, and cashmere sweaters between $250 and $350.
Mr. Woods has had a gear deal with TaylorMade since 2017, when Nike shut down its gear business. The company has been pitching Mr. Woods about an expanded relationship in recent months, Mr. Abeles said. It included a visit to Mr. Woods’ boardroom in Jupiter, Fla., where the TaylorMade team showed him a pitch video that “really connected to his legacy, his greatness, his values and his future.”
In many ways, Mr. Woods is now entering a new era in his professional life, almost five years after his last major championship. Last year he joined the PGA Tour’s powerful board and was a key player in deliberations over its future.
Mr. Woods announced the deal with TaylorMade on Monday in Southern California, where he hosts the Genesis Invitational tournament.
“I’ve learned so much over the years and have a lifetime of experience tweaking my clothing and footwear to help me play better based on the way it’s constructed,” Mr. Woods said in a statement. “There are things I could tell you that no one knew I did over the years. I’m ready to share those secrets with the world.”
