EA: Tiger Better Start Winning Or We'll Get a New Golfer

[Tom Goldman]

EA: Tiger Better Start Winning Or We'll Get a New Golfer

Could EA's Tiger Woods PGA Tour be on its way to becoming Lee Westwood PGA Tour?

After Tiger Woods' marital infidelity was exposed in late 2009, many sponsors chose to abandon him, but EA still kept Woods on as the star of its flagship golf videogame Tiger Woods PGA Tour [http://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Woods-PGA-Tour-Playstation-3/dp/B00386PJRM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291215234&sr=8-1]. Despite Tiger's massive popularity as a golfer, EA recently said that he still has to live up to his end of the deal and start winning, or else pack his clubs and go.

At the Reuters Global Media Summit in New York, EA CEO John Riccitiello said he wasn't threatening Woods, but that EA was sticking with him "because he has the promise of being the world's best golfer." He explained that the world's best golf game has to star the world's best golfer, so if Woods isn't that golfer EA might have to consider a change. Woods hasn't won a tournament since the scandal.

"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," Riccitiello said. "Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense."

EA originally said it would way down [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97244-EA-Sports-Stands-By-Tiger-Woods].

It's these sales that are likely driving EA to reconsider who should be featured in PGA Tour, but Riccitiello said EA is "willing to give [Tiger] the benefit of the doubt for a period of time," though he didn't say how long this period of time would last. Woods is still ranked as the #2 golfer in the world, having been bumped down by British golfer Lee Westwood five weeks ago. He might not be winning, but Woods has been the face of EA's PGA Tour for 13 years. Can another golfer really sell the game any more successfully?

Source: Reuters [http://ca.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idCATRE6AS5XY20101130]

Permalink

 

[standokan]

Haha it would be really funny if that happend, though it wouldn't be surprising, with his bad reputation and all.

 

[The Rockerfly]

They really ignore the main issue here.

Nobody is interested in playing the same golf game over and over again, purchasing each version with little improvement or a different roster. I am just saying, removing him, despite not being a winner in real life or facing a scandal or two would actually hurt EA in the long run. I don't know any high profile golfer except him and plenty of people share that perspective.

EA, just don't blame Tiger Woods, blame you chewing out the same game over and over for ?60,- constantly.

They have been doing it for over a decade and sale just increase each year. It baffles my mind how people are so stupid to do it each year. At least with say the yearly COD games there is a bit of difference

 

[Silver Patriot]

It makes sense really. They stuck with him this long but he has to keep up his end of the deal. Though I doubt they will make any big changes soon, so he most likely has at least a year if not more to get back on top. Even then this who scandal will have blown over by that point and they might just keep him for Brand Awareness. Who knows?

 

[TaboriHK]

I think they are wildly overestimating how much brand recognition any name that isn't Tiger Woods has. Of course, this comes from someone who has never played a golf video game ever.

 

[SomebodyNowhere]

Does it really matter what the title is? Couldn't they just call it PGA Tour(insert year here) and put whoever they feel like on the cover like they do each year with Madden? I have a difficult time believing that it would really make a noticable difference.

 

[Sabrestar]

Does it really matter what the title is? Couldn't they just call it PGA Tour(insert year here) and put whoever they feel like on the cover like they do each year with Madden? I have a difficult time believing that it would really make a noticable difference.

Exactly. I don't think they'd replace him so much as just drop the endorsement altogether. It might even save them money given the poor sales of the most recent version.

Or maybe they could get David Feherty to endorse it. Now I'd buy that.

 

[megs1120]

EA need to move away from him. When people see the name they think not of the golfer but of the bad husband and people dont want a name like that sitting on there shelf.

It's not right, but it's true.

Of course, it's right, the man's a creep! No wonder sales are in the toilet. What mother out there would buy a game for their child that glorifies a notorious adulterer?

 

[DTWolfwood]

Just when Golf has a little excitement in it. They want to get rid of Tiger Woods, they might as well get rid of naming the Golf game. Cause Tiger is the only golfer non-golfers can think of off hand.

 

[Carlston]

Eh he's still marketable, just make sure after each game we have a sex mini game like God of war and Tiger please two chicks at once.

Can't dazzle them with golf show them tits.

 

[For.I.Am.Mad]

Tiger Woods needs to stop with the quivering lip act and cowboy up.

 

[RowdyRodimus]

Someone has to mention the elephant in the room, so it might as well be me-

If they did drop him from the game the next few years we would hear nothing but "EA is racist" coming from 75% of the black media. It doesn't matter what he did or if he wins or not, unlike what Martin Luther King, Jr. said when it come to something like this (or really any black athlete or celebrity) it isn't the content of the persons character that matters as much as the color of their skin.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Isn't that cute. The useless franchise title figure is more important than the actual game.

...Well, it is an EA Sports title. So I guess that's *puts on sunglasses* par for the course.

 

[gring]

"He might not be winning, but Woods has been the face of EA's PGA Tour for 13 years. Can another golfer really sell the game any more successfully?"

...at this point, yes.

 

[DiMono]

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I'll be honest, I kind of think sales may be down because people have realized that they just don't need another golf game. Seriously, how many times do you need to buy the same game before it becomes a waste of money? I think people may have simply gotten tired of it.

Also, it's not like people in general have a very long attention span. I'll bet if you were to ask the average PGA Tour video game player where Tiger Woods' infidelity sits in their list of priorities, the answer would be surprisingly low.

Also also, the video to the right is not only related, but relevant.

 

[dannymc18]

It'll be Rory McIlroy's PGA Tour soon enough, so now just seems like the perfect time to switch it. Either that or Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge 2012.

I won't be buying it either way, golf games are pointless. It's something you can easily go do yourself, as opposed to, say Madden NFL.

Edit: Gotta start checking dates..