EA: Tiger Woods Needs to Win to Keep Sponsorship
If performance keeps dropping, publisher may reconsider deal.
Someone must have pulled a tasteless Christmas prank on EA chief exec John Riccitiello, because he continues his rather gruff mood by firing a shot across the bow of Tiger Woods' estate.
Although Riccitiello said EA has no plans at present to change its current sponsorship deals, he suggested at the Reuters Global Media Summit that the publisher could very well reconsider its position if Tiger fails to regain his world-class performance.
"This is no threat against Tiger - we're with him because he has the promise of being the world's best golfer," he said. "We have no plans to move away from him, but it's a business relationship on the basis of we make the best golf game and he's the best golfer. Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense."
The comments follow a reported dip in performance in the golfer after controversies surrounding his private life emerged last year. When such stories hit the headlines, EA initially said that it would work to continue its support of Tiger. Now it all rests on Tiger's performance, which Riccitiello says he has faith in - for now.
"He sort of stuck with us for a very long time and we made great business together. And we're willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a period of time."
Although Riccitiello said EA has no plans at present to change its current sponsorship deals, he suggested at the Reuters Global Media Summit that the publisher could very well reconsider its position if Tiger fails to regain his world-class performance.
"This is no threat against Tiger - we're with him because he has the promise of being the world's best golfer," he said. "We have no plans to move away from him, but it's a business relationship on the basis of we make the best golf game and he's the best golfer. Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense."
The comments follow a reported dip in performance in the golfer after controversies surrounding his private life emerged last year. When such stories hit the headlines, EA initially said that it would work to continue its support of Tiger. Now it all rests on Tiger's performance, which Riccitiello says he has faith in - for now.
"He sort of stuck with us for a very long time and we made great business together. And we're willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a period of time."
Read More Like This