Nike slices golf equipment
The Swoosh was no match for the big boys in the golf world, at least when it comes to equipment.
This is an interesting turn of events for a monolithic company that has dominated its landscape since the early days when Michael Jordan took flight in Chicago. Here are a few clear connections and fairly reasonable assumptions, no?
First, Nike booked all its golf equipment street creed on being like Tiger. It worked swimmingly for Jordan and the shoes and it was a reasonable gamble, considering Tiger was the next transcendent megastar after MJ. That ignored two huge factors: One, golfers are amazingly loyal, be it superstition or confidence or whatever. Guys who play Titleist gear are going to play Titleist gear, no matter who swings what or who putts which ball. Secondly, Tiger’s ability was almost too superhuman, especially when guys like Mickelson were saying things like, “Imagine what he could do if he wasn’t using inferior equipment.”
Secondly, this obviously answers the star-power comparison between Tiger and Nike’s next nine-figure poster star, Rory McIlroy. With Tiger Nike made money; without Tiger, Nike made the decision to fold the operation entirely.