Big sponsors desert Tiger Woods' sinking ship
Accenture, Gillette and AT&T have started to distance themselves from the golfer
New York: With Tiger Woods announcing an "indefinite break" from professional golf to focus on his family, his major sponsors like Accenture, Gillette and AT&T have started to distance themselves from the disgraced golfer.
AT&T said: "We are evaluating our relationship with him. We support Tiger's decision and our thoughts will be with him and his family."
Gatorade PepsiCo, owner of Gatorade, last week dropped its Woods-endorsed product. His five-year deal was signed in 2007, and was worth a reported £61.7 million.
A 30-second ad for Gillette was pulled from US TV last week. Gillette said it would "limit his role in our programmes" to support his desire for privacy.
Accenture, the Irish consultancy firm, dropped Woods from its website on Friday and has pulled newspaper and magazine ad campaigns in the US.
Netjets, the private jet company and a subsidiary of Warren Buffet's investment firm, was initially supportive but has been silent since last week.
TAG, the Swiss watch maker removed Woods from in-store ads in Australia but denied the move was anything to do with Tiger's private life.
However, Nike, which has built a golf equipment empire on the Woods name and is not deserting its man. "He is the best golfer in the world," the firm said on Sunday.
EA Sports, which has sold millions of copies of its Tiger Woods PGA Tour game, supports the embattled golfer, saying it has an "unchanged" business strategy".
Golf Digest, the ESPN magazine which has Woods playing editor, has been ridiculed for its current front cover which has Woods as President Barack Obama's caddie.
Laser Eye Centers, through which Woods has had his eyes surgically enhanced still uses his image on the cover of its company brochure.
Upper Deck, the sports memorabilia firm, has refused to comment so far on Woods. His image was prominent on the company's website on Saturday.
The PGA Tour Will be worried about an exodus of sponsors and a slump in TV ratings without its star name, but said it will continue to "respect his family's privacy".
