Legendary golfer Tiger Woods and sportswear giant Nike are ending their partnership after 27 years. The American sports apparel giant has been a sponsor of Woods since the beginning of his professional career in 1996, and he won all 15 Major titles wearing Nike.
"These 27 years have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories that if I started listing them, there would be no end," Woods commented on social media. The first contract between Woods and Nike in 1996 was worth $40 million and lasted five years. In the following years, the American golfer became one of the biggest sports stars in the world, and his contracts with Nike were of increasing value, including one for 200 million dollars with a 10-year duration.
Nike stuck by Woods even through the worst moments of his career, including in 2009, when it was revealed that he had repeatedly cheated on his wife, causing his other sponsors - Gillette, Accenture and AT&T - to cut ties with him . However, Nike announced "full support" for the golfer.
Experts consider the partnership between the two sides one of the best deals for Nike, which until the mid-1990s was absent from the golf merchandise market but became a major player thanks to Woods. /BGNES
