Golf: Fans shun Tiger's clothes

Tiger Woods fans have put up with the philandering, the text messages and the domestic spats. Now comes what may be the hardest thing of all to tolerate: Losing.

Woods has played through the year without a single tournament win, leaving him 83rd on the PGA Tour's money list. As his performances slumped, so have sales of his apparel through Nike, according to retailers.

Apparel sales overall are on the rise, signalling consumers are returning to the course - just not to Woods.

Nike gets about 10 per cent of its golf sales from the Woods brand, whose shirts, jackets and pants are among the most expensive clothing the sportswear maker sells.

"Apparel is hot right now," said Laura Dowdy, clothing buyer for Roger Dunn, which has more than 20 stores. "Everything - adidas, Puma, Nike, except the Tiger brand."

Nike, based in Beaverton, Oregon, doesn't disclose sales for the Tiger Woods Collection. Nike gets about $650 million in sales tied to the sport, according to Matt Powell, an analyst who provided the estimate for sales of the Woods line.

"We support Tiger and never underestimate his abilities as a competitor," Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said. "He's a phenomenal athlete with over 70 wins on the PGA Tour and 95 wins worldwide."

Woods's representatives did not return calls or emails seeking comment. The line's volume through the first half dropped 7.5 per cent from a year earlier at Golfsmith's 76 stores, Chief Executive Officer Martin Hanaka said. Total golf apparel sales climbed 11 per cent over the same period at the Austin, Texas-based retailer.

"The Tiger effect has been negative this year," Hanaka said. "Fortunately, other Nike products and other brands have been doing well."

Nike's apparel sales climbed 13 per cent in the quarter ended May 31, and its golf apparel sales also have climbed about that much this year, according to Powell. The retailer is now selling the autumn 2010 men's collection on its website. The cover boy? Not Tiger. It's 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink. Woods appears in a list of "athletes" on a linked page.

Other than his rookie season, when he finished 24th, Woods has been in the top four on the money list every year. This month, he recorded the worst 72-hole score - 18 over par - of his pro career, although he showed signs of his old form with his best round this year at a New Jersey tournament on Thursday, three days after his divorce from wife Elin.

"When Tiger's doing well, people watch and buy his brand," said David Martin, a branding expert with Interbrand New York. "When he's not, people decide not to watch and they buy something else."

Patrick Rishe, a sports business professor at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and director of Sportsimpacts, which analyzes the economic impact of sports events. said: "Before, Tiger was a champion. He conveyed discipline and consistency. Now he's lost that aura of perfection, on and off the course, and there's no way Nike can create that aura again."

Woods's personal problems haven't helped. His divorce was completed this week nine months after reports of his extra-marital affairs surfaced.

Woods, 34, crashed his Cadillac SUV into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home, leading to his admission he had relationships with several women. One, Joslyn James, created a website showcasing alleged text messages from the golfer that described various sex acts.

Nike first signed Tiger Woods to a five-year endorsement in 1996. The retailer has described the Tiger Woods Collection, started in 1999, as "Nike Golf's top-of-the-line apparel," with sweaters and pants costing more than US$100 ($141).

Nike hasn't discounted its Woods Collection apparel and probably won't, according to Powell, who says the company is counting on Woods returning to form.

"The challenge to Nike is that we've never seen Tiger weak before, and it's completely antithetical to what his brand is," Interbrand's Martin said. "Some athletes can ski off into our memory as stars, but for Tiger, unless he gets it together this winter and starts winning, his career trajectory is a double-black diamond," or exceptionally steep slope.

Not everyone has abandoned Woods. Clint Utz, 28, said he owns about 15 Tiger Woods Collection shirts and has bought several this year.

"All of a sudden, so many people were against him, but he's still the same person that worked hard and achieved things no one else has ever achieved," said Utz, marketing director for Landscapes Unlimited, based in Lincoln, Nebraska. "Everyone loves a winner. They'll be back."

- BLOOMBERG