On Monday, golfs world number one, Rory McIlroy was unveiled as a Nike player.
The rumor mill had been in overdrive since it was announced last year that he and his club provider Titleist, would be parting ways. McIlroy, one of the worlds most marketable sportsmen, had been linked in a mega money move to Nike, but there were a number of hurdles along the way. Nike insist on a one logo policy. Theirs.
That meant McIlroy had to drop not only Titleist, but also Jumeirah resorts, and clothing provider Oakley. The latter proved to be the biggest speed bump. In response to the news, Oakley are seeking an injunction to prevent McIlroy from sporting the swoosh. In the meantime though they signed Bubba Watson and Zach Johnson to replace McIlroy.
True to form, Nike spared no expense in unveiling their new asset in Abu Dhabi where the Northern Irishman is preparing for the Middle East swing of the European Tour.
McIlroy said the move was not financially motivated, but I’m not buying. While the actual amount of the deal was not revealed, reliable sources suggest a 10 year relationship worth $200 million. That’s around $55 000 a day!
The sportswear giant was quick to start getting their money’s worth, producing an advert, playing on the seemingly genuine friendship between McIlroy and their former golden boy Tiger Woods.
Some might snigger, I thought it was right on point. Tiger needs to lighten up, and the sport needs a healthy rivalry.
Having the top two players in your stable certainly makes good business sense for Nike, but does it make good golfing sense for Rory? Some might argue that tinkering with the tools that got him to the summit of the sport is risky. I’m not sure it will impact him all that much. While pro’s are certainly fussier about their clubs, the major manufacturers are pretty much on par when it comes to the quality of equipment they produce. I guess time will tell. For those equipment junkies, this is what’s expected to be in Rory’s bag this weekend:
Driver: Nike VR_S Covert Tour 9.5-degree, neutral position
Fairway woods: Nike VR Pro Limited Edition 3-wood/15-degree and 5-wood/19-degree
Irons: Nike VR Pro Blades (3-PW)
Wedges: Nike VR Pro 54-degree and 60-degree
Putter: Nike Method 006 Prototype
Ball: Nike 20XI X
Apparel: Nike Golf Tour Performance Collection
Footwear: Nike Lunar Control
Richard Maspero 