Forget Tiger Woods, LeBron James or Michael Jordan, Nike’s longest-tenured athlete is somebody you may not expect.
Topline
Golfer Tiger Woods and Nike announced the end of their iconic partnership Monday, capping Woods’ tenure with Nike at 27 years and marking a rare breakup featuring one of Nike’s athletes who endorsed the company for more than two decades—but there’s another athlete with over four decades representing the company.Key Facts
Nike’s split with Tiger Woods (with Nike 1996-2023), who earned a reported $500 million from Nike dating back to 1996, is reminiscent of its parting of ways with tennis legend Roger Federer (with Nike 1994-2018), who ditched Nike near the tail end of his playing career, though there are no details on the circumstances of Woods’ exit, and Federer’s departure appeared to be on his own accord.
Woods, arguably the most famous golfer ever and one of the richest athletes ever, did not land the lifetime endorsement deals secured by billionaire NBA legend and Jordan basketball brand namesake Michael Jordan (with Nike since 1984), billionaire NBA all-time points leader LeBron James (with Nike since 2003), soccer star and world’s highest-paid athlete Cristiano Ronaldo (also with Nike since 2003).
