As an older professional athlete, Tiger Woods has earned his privacy. He was last seen at the British Open this year but has not been in the public eye since. However, like any great in the sport, his symbols and icons are spread everywhere, either through his ventures or his achievements.
One such venture is the Sun Day Red clothing line, which has just launched its cashmere collection. The clothing line is said to be geared towards both “innovative performance wear and luxury lifestyle fashion,” according to its website. However, fans have noted that the brand leans more towards luxury than performance.
Indeed, the prices are steep for a run-of-the-mill sportswear brand. A t-shirt will cost you $60, and in the newly launched cashmere collection, a vest costs $300. But this isn’t just any sportswear brand. This is Tiger Woods’ sportswear brand, developed by TaylorMade.
Golf, being a somewhat exclusive sport, also means that no piece of equipment or specialized accessory comes cheap. Golfers know this and are wary of it because nobody wants to be price-gouged. This has brought Woods’ brand under severe criticism for selling its items at a premium.
Golf fans react to Sun Day Red’s Cashmere Collection
“Sun Day Red just goes to show how out of touch Eldrick is,” one user wrote in reply to the golf news aggregator, NUCLR GOLF, using Tiger Woods’ birth name. Having launched in May, the brand immediately drew fans’ ire over their branding communication and for not appealing to customers’ tastes. The pricing of the items has also drawn flak and could suggest that Woods just doesn’t know who his fans are and what their values are. Another user jokingly said, “It cost me a 100 just to look at the clothing“.
Tiger Woods has long been the undisputed greatest of his era and perhaps of all time. Anyone who saw him play immediately recognized the generational talent that he was. The golfing world is still very much Woods’ domain, and fans still adore him. But they don’t want to spend exorbitant amounts just to support their favorite athlete’s brand. This sentiment was echoed by many commenters reacting to the news of the new cashmere line. “Love Tiger to death but nah… the price of the ball marker made me tune out anything else for sale,” one commenter wrote, while another remarked, “I’m a big tiger fan but these look pretty ordinary !
The range is meant to be worn both on the course and off it, like most golf wear. But a Sun Day Red sighting in the wild is pretty rare. It may be that no ordinary golfer wants their $350 sweater drenched in sweat after a round of golf. One commenter wrote, “I have been a(space)part of close to 100 rounds of golf this season, many with golfers wearing “luxury brands.” I don’t recall seeing a golfer wear any of Tiger’s brand a single time. I like the logo more than most but unfortunately I think this venture was a swing and a miss.
Of course, not everything in the market is meant for everyone. Each brand has its own demographics and target market. However the sheer amount of silence around Sun Day Red has created a stigma or reputation that discourages new buyers, even if they were the target market. Since the brand has only just launched, it is wise to give it some time to become more acceptable to buyers as it grows.
