Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red clothing range was ridiculed for its bizarre name – as well as its premium prices – when it launched earlier this year, but now the iconic golfer is seeing his clothing company accused of “misappropriation illegal “.
Tigeraire, an American company that makes air-conditioned helmets for football players, filed a lawsuit accusing Woods and Sun Day Red of violating trademark rules by copying Tigeraire’s design.
The respective logos bear a striking resemblance, but TaylorMade, Woods’ branding partner, has “full confidence in securing our brands.”
The dispute will put an immediate end to Woods’ application for the logo – depicting a tiger made up of 15 lines in homage to the number of major tournaments he has won – but Josh Gerben, a US trademark lawyer, said told news channel CNBC that it was “unlikely to affect future production.”
However, this is at least a downside for the line that has faced criticism since it was first made public following Woods’ departure from Nike after a nearly 30 years which brought in hundreds of millions for the Californian.
Aside from the wacky name – which TaylorMade explained was “born from being outside in the sun, the joy of playing golf during the day, and a special red being the powerful color of the brand” – the prices have raises eyebrows.
Polo shirts cost over £100, and hoodies cost around £150. A plain white T-shirt, with a small logo in the lower left corner, costs over £60.
However, Woods and TaylorMade remain positive, with the range “selling out within hours” when it officially launched on the website in May and the boss assures us that “as Sun Day Red expands in overseas markets and in women’s clothing, sales expected to reach $80 million to $100 million [£60 million-£75 million] by the end of 2025 – then more than $200 million per year in 2026.”
Woods and the Sun Day Red team have 40 days to respond to the notice of opposition that Tigeraire filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
There’s no doubt about Woods’ selling power, but surely it would have been better if the 48-year-old had given the line more exposure on the course. It’s hardly his fault since his bruised body continues to spoil his return to competition.
He has only played six rounds since Sun Day Red hit the market, missing the cut at the USPGA, US Open and The Open. He was then expected to take part in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas at the end of November, but the player, now ranked 999th in the world, is a doubt for the tournament promoted by his own charity after yet another injury setback.
Woods revealed two weeks ago that he had undergone microdecompression surgery on his lower back, to relieve back spasms and pain that was affecting him. The operation reportedly went “smoothly” and he is now in a race to recover in time for the Hero. However, he now also has a headache – albeit a legal one – to negotiate.