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Marketing and Sponsorship

Acushnet, McIlroy Parting Ways; Will This Open Door For Nike?

Golfer Rory McIlroy and Acushnet Co., which manufactures the Titleist and Footjoy brands, today jointly announced that their relationship will not extend beyond Dec. 31. McIlroy has been with the company since he began his pro career in September '07 (Acushnet). PGATOUR.com's Brian Wacker notes the announcement "fuels speculation that McIlroy will sign with Nike, which has long been rumored by industry insiders, but there has been no confirmation." A Nike spokesperson said that the company "will not comment on rumors" (PGATOUR.com, 10/30). Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard said, “I had a pretty good source tell me that he had multiple years left on that deal, and I’m a little surprised. I knew that the relationship had been strained in recent weeks because there were a lot of reports that he was going to sign with another company, with Nike Golf being the leader in that clubhouse." Golf Channel's Charlie Rymer said, "Titleist has a reputation of not renewing big contracts with players when they get to be global superstars." Rymer said of the Nike rumors, "It might be a nice fit to have Rory and Tiger in the same stable." But CBS' Nick Faldo said, “I’d call it dangerous. I’ve changed clubs and equipment, and every manufacturer will say, ‘We can copy your clubs, we can tweak the golf balls so it’s you.’ But there’s feel and there’s sound and there’s confidence as well. You can’t put a real value on that” ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 10/30).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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