David Duval is "about to leave Titleist and join good
friend" Tiger Woods at Nike, according to Mark Soltau of CBS
SportsLine, who reported that Duval and his IMG agent
Charley Moore met with Nike officials in OR yesterday "to
hammer out a long-term, head-to-toe deal that reportedly
will include shoes, clothing, hats, clubs and balls." Woods
and Duval used a Nike ball at the World Cup of Golf earlier
this month, "offering a hint of the pending deal." With
Nike "expected to become a new player" in the golf club
business in '01, "don't be surprised if Woods and Duval make
the switch from Titleist" (CBS SportsLine, 12/20). GOLF
WORLD BUSINESS' Ron Sirak cited a source who said that Duval
"would also participate in the development of irons for
Nike." Nike Golf Marketing Dir Mike Kelly said only that
the company "expected to announce the signing of 'a top-10
player' soon." Sirak added that Duval has an "escape
clause" in his current Titleist deal, which includes clubs,
balls, shoes and glove. A source said that Duval has told
Titleist that he "wishes to exercise that clause." Duval
"also struck an endorsement pact" with Italian apparel maker
Zegna (see THE DAILY, 12/13), but he "escaped that contract,
too." Zegna spokesperson Jenny Barber said, "We really
don't have a concrete agreement between Zegna and David
Duval, so it's something that hasn't been contractual as of
yet" (GOLF WORLD BUSINESS, 12/20).
A BARN BURNER: GOLFWEEK reported that the Duval/Nike
deal "helps define what is fast becoming one of the
industry's most intense rivalries: Titleist vs. Nike." One
industry source said that Duval, whose Titleist deal was set
to run through '03, was "miffed at Titleist's stance not to
renegotiate his deal after lucrative, long-term deals were
struck with" Davis Love III and Phil Mickelson. Meanwhile,
IMG's Moore, will no longer serve as a full-time employee
for IMG, but will "continue to serve as Duval's agent" for
the agency. Meanwhile, GOLFWEEK noted that "nearly 25 PGA
Tour players are expected to have ball-shoe-glove deals"
with Nike in '01 (GOLFWEEK, 12/20).
SHOULD TIGER TAKE A STAND? In Oakland, Monte Poole
wrote under the header, "Woods Needs To Take Stand Against
Nike." Poole: "This company is notorious for abusing the
rights of workers, especially overseas. This company's
products have been the motive for shootings, stabbings and
muggings by intimidation. ... If [Woods] could, please,
implant a social conscience into the cool heart of Nike.
Sort of a 'peacemaker.' ... We're not advising Tiger to tell
Nike how to run its business. Just bend a few ears in hopes
of inspiring change" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 12/20).
