The term “Nike” has been all the rage in the golf world lately. From Jason Day switching teams to a new partner to the Swoosh ending its 27-year relationship with its top player, Tiger Woods, the iconic brand saw a lot of changes in a short period of time. Nevertheless, in the midst of all of this, one LIV Golf League pro, Brooks Koepka, was able to deepen his relationship with the label.
It’s interesting to note that the business was able to guarantee its close relationship with a player who competes on the Saudi-sponsored circuit despite the escalating reports of a potential withdrawal from golf entirely. Furthermore, the guarantee and the brand’s affiliation with a LIV Golf squad at a time when they recently severed relations with a PGA Tour legend provide an intriguing query: is Nike’s decision to partner with the PIF-funded tour a wise one for its financial records?
From the time the Saudi-backed league was founded in 2021 and its first season began the following year, the golf community has been progressively welcoming it. This is easily seen by looking at the merger, which is reportedly almost finalized. Furthermore, the fact that world No. 3 Jon Rahm switched to the alternate circuit and that PGA Tour regular Rory McIlroy changed his mind further demonstrate its rising prominence in the sports world.
It made perfect sense, intriguingly, to turn to the disruptive league at a time when the Swoosh was steadily losing ground in the golfing world. In addition, the company’s decision to deepen its relationship with Koepka—a golfer who repeatedly proved his abilities on the course—reaffirms the Middle Eastern tour’s growing legitimacy. He might even end up being their next golden boy, taking the place of the 15X major champion!
With two wins on the alternative tour and a major victory at the PGA Championship, the golfer had a spectacular year in 2023 that unquestionably established him as a legitimate power player in the game. Furthermore, combining his achievements with his stellar partnership with Nike presents him as the 48-year-old’s successor in the upcoming years, if not sooner.
It’s safe to say that the label made a wise investment in bringing on a professional who has established himself as one of the best in the game. In addition, if the merger goes through as planned, the pro might even see himself playing a lot more while wearing the famous Swoosh on the greens, particularly on the PGA Tour and majors. The 30-year-old proved to be a reliable asset for the clothing company when he recently posted pictures of his new shoes online.
Koepka’s team, Smash GC, released a tweet featuring the squad’s logo on the brand’s shoes, which was nothing less than a slap in the face to the numerous professionals who stopped wearing Swoosh. A few days later, the 33-year-old posted a photo of the recently released version of the shoes, which he had apparently gotten from the brand, in response.
The unexpected remark from the five-time major champion helped put an end to the growing suspicions, despite the fact that many people thought the brand had lost its foothold in the golf industry. It demonstrated that the recognizable emblem was still worn by many well-known celebrities. Moreover, had rumors about this situation been true, Koepka’s team would have been acquired by Nike in June 2023.
As it turned out, the rumors were just that—rumors. For the duration of the 2023 season, the Smash GC did, however, collaborate with Bald Head Blues, a different apparel brand. Despite continuing to wear the legendary name at the time and having it as his partner, Matthew Wolff just broke up with Nike, according to a recent development. However, the skipper has maintained the Swoosh on his clothing, both then and now, to emphasize the connection he had with them.
All things considered, it would surely be a wise financial decision for the athletic apparel and footwear company to concentrate more on LIV Golf, particularly on Smash GC. Additionally, even with their breakup with Woods, Nike would have benefited far more from their connection with the team and the league as a whole if the team—which just welcomed 2023 Individual Champion Talor Gooch—maintains its momentum.
