The following is by new contributor Scott Huntington…
It’s hard to understate just how big of an impact Tiger Woods has had on golf. One of the game He caught fans attention immediately and completely changed how much people cared about the sport.
With him taking a hiatus for the past couple years, people were wondering if he was going to return to the sport. Advertisers, brands, and networks, were rightfully concerned for their own survival.
The fact is, there’s an enormous difference in interest between when Tiger’s playing and when he’s not.
So what is the draw that he has that makes people continue to keep up on his life and cheer him on, and how can brands use that to their advantage?
Hate the Man, Love the Talent
Tiger has definitely had some pitfalls. From car crashes to sex scandals to DUI’s, his track record isn’t the best, and he’s had to take some time off to work on himself.
While a lot of people aren’t a fan of reckless driving, and especially aren’t partial to cheating on one’s spouse, after apologies and some behavioral rehab, people are ready to give him another chance. That means brands, too.
One thing that Tiger has is talent. Despite his fallouts, he is healthy, young and driven to continue his career. As long as he keeps his mind clear, there’s nothing he can’t power through.
He nearly broke Jack Niklaus’ s major record and has a drive so powerful that golf courses began “Tiger Proofing” by adding distance. We may not all agree with his decisions and morals, but we can all agree that despite everything, the guy can leave a mark.
Everyone Loves an Underdog
It’s almost like the story of America. Everyone loves a good comeback story. The US started out as a couple of scrappy colonies that finally had enough taxation without representation. It went from a starving bundle of states to one of the most powerful countries in the world.
People like Robert Downy Jr. give others hope that you can go from a drug addict to Iron Man. It can be a little harder to love people like Mike Tyson or Charlie Sheen, but you have to at least try, right? That’s what many brands and sponsors are betting on.
And why not? He has proven again and again to be the center of attention, even when he’s not winning. The proof is right there in a Google search. On Monday after the The Open, 4 of the 5 top stories on Google included Tiger’s name. Only one mentioned Francesco Molinari, who actually won the tournament. Tiger finished tied for 6th, and was still a bigger story than the winner.
With Friend Like These, Who Needs Enemies
Nike has welcomed Tiger back with open arms, and even launched a new commercial for him to celebrate.
With a net worth in the billions, and Tiger’s in the millions, the two together have a brand that has stuck around for years. While other companies such as Gatorade has pulled away, he is still marketing his own brand and selling merchandise as well.
Bad Attention Is Still Attention
At the end of the day, everyone is going to have an opinion about Tiger Woods. It can be about his game, his character or even about his crazy fist pumps — regardless, is going to get the headlines. That makes the events he’s in market themselves.
Whether he’s breaking records by appearing on the New York Post more than 9/11, or sneaking onto a riverboat casino before he was 21 in a small town in Illinois — the guy has some stories that people love to follow and would happily watch golf for.
