DailyFinance Toolbar

AT&T Is the Latest Sponsor to Say Goodbye to Tiger Woods

Posted 12:30 PM 12/31/09 , , ,
Print Text Size A A A
In a move that came as a surprise to no one, AT&T (T) quietly ended its sponsorship of Tiger Woods -- making it one of the biggest companies to drop the embattled golf pro. The telecom, whose logo appears on Woods' golf bag, did not give a reason for its decision. However, does it really even need to provide one?

Woods' self-destruction as an American icon since his bizarre accident over the Thanksgiving holiday has been remarkable to behold. One wonders how he kept all of his mistresses straight. Figuring out what makes one woman tick is hard enough. Remembering the quirks of 14 "lady friends" must have been close to impossible.


With this latest announcement, it's clear that the days of Tiger earning big bucks as a corporate shill are over. Though Woods denied a report in Forbes magazine that he was a billionaire, he's no doubt one of the wealthiest men in sports, thanks to all of his endorsements.

Already in the Works?

Now, the source of those riches is starting to dry up. Accenture (ACN) and Procter & Gamble's (PG) Gillette have already either dropped the golfer or scaled back on the use of his image. Gatorade recently discontinued its "Tiger Focus" drink -- a move the company says was already in the works before news of the scandal broke.

It's odd that it took AT&T, which says on its website "We operate with unyielding integrity, obeying all laws and adhering to a stringent code of business conduct," so long to reach the same conclusion. And it's pretty clear the company was trying to do so quietly by announcing that decision at the start of a long holiday weekend.

"We are ending our sponsorship agreement with Tiger Woods and wish him well in the future," the company said in a statement. "We will continue to sponsor the AT&T National. We look forward to a successful 2010 tournament. "

As for Tiger, the best he can hope for is to get a job as a spokesman for more suitable brand or product, perhaps Pfizer's (PFE) Viagra or Hooter's, where waitresses are known to posses "qualities" Woods seems to admire. At the very least, he may be able to command high fees for judging wet t-shirt contests.
Jonathan Berr

Jonathan Berr

View all Articles »
Financial Writer and Media Columnist

Jonathan Berr is a former reporter with Bloomberg News whose work has appeared in The New York Times, BusinessWeek and The Philadelphia Inquirer. In 2000, he won the Gerald Loeb Award, one of the most prestigious prizes in business journalism.

Read More
SUBSCRIBE TO:
RSS
COMMENTS ( 40 )
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 Next >>
linyiu
This comment has been deleted.
TeaPartyrun4
7:48PM Dec 31 2009 
why is it that O J and tiger both discriminate against black girls , that's racism , coming from roll models ,
and you don't read about that, I am not going to buy or watch anything with his name on it,
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
FLYCOZY
7:12PM Dec 31 2009 
Cool Sugar Daddy
Your sick in the head if you think only republicans have a problem with keeping their D**k in their pants. If I remember right Bill Clinton was a Democrat not like it matters. This problem with infidelity has been going on since the begining of time. Tiger did the crime now he'll pay the price.. No! his children will...
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
Wgbb
6:36PM Dec 31 2009 
So much fame and money. How can he be so stupid? Thinking with the wrong head.
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
Wgbb
6:36PM Dec 31 2009 
So much fame and money. How can he be so stupid? Thinking with the wrong head.
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
MJohn351
6:19PM Dec 31 2009 
Please leave color out of this, scum does not necessiarly have a color.
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
Doc jay082
5:09PM Dec 31 2009 
ALL YOU HATERS DIDN'T LIKE THE MAN BEFORE ALL OF THIS BECAUSE HE IS A SUCCESSFUL MAN OF COLOR AND THE GREATEST GOLFER THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN!!!!!! GO AHEAD AND ENJOY YOU MOMENTARY PLEASURE, FOR IT WON'T LAST LONG. ALL THIS WILL BLOW OVER IN A FEW MONTHS AND HE WILL AGAIN BE THE GREATEST GOLFER THAT EVER LIVED!!!!!!

PS- AND AS FAR AS HIS ENDORSEMENTS GO, HE WILL HAVE NEW, FAR MORE LUCRATIVE ENDORSEMENTS BECAUSE CORPORATIONS LOVE WINNERS!!!!!!!!!!.
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
JRayjones07
5:01PM Dec 31 2009 
but the president Wasn't having sex
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
LMC3959
4:04PM Dec 31 2009 
Can't argue with you on that.
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
JBofNaples
3:56PM Dec 31 2009 
Huh?
  Reply Rate This Comment
(0 RATINGS)
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 Next >>
GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?
YOU'LL BE ASKED TO REGISTER OR SIGN IN BEFORE POSTING A COMMENT.
Make a Comment
Comment
 
Follow Us
Follow Our Writers
Pallavi Gogoi Pallavi Gogoi Financial Writer
Peter Cohan Peter Cohan Financial Columnist
Sarah Gilbert Sarah Gilbert Features Writer
Gene Marcial Gene Marcial Financial Columnist
Jeff Bercovici Jeff Bercovici Media Columnist
James Altucher James Altucher Financial Columnist
Mercedes M. Cardona Mercedes M. Cardona Retail Reporter
Nikhil Hutheesing Nikhil Hutheesing Assistant Managing Editor
Latif Lewis Latif Lewis Business News Editor
More Writers

Headlines From DailyFinance Partners

CNN Money
CNBC
Smart Money
Fox Business
Engadget
BloggingStocks
 WalletPop
AOL Small Business
Luxist
Housing Watch
AOL News
Business NewsInvesting and Real EstatePersonal Finance at WalletPopSmall Business

Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Trademarks | HELP

© 2010 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved